Episode Details

The episode examines the "Star Wars" of the ancient Maya, which were high-stakes, catastrophic military conflicts between rival city-states during the Classic period. Coined by epigraphers to describe a specific celestial hieroglyph, the term identifies decisive battles that resulted in regime changes, the toppling of dynasties, and widespread societal upheaval. While early research suggested these wars were strictly timed to the cycle of Venus, modern scholars debate the extent of this astronomical influence, viewing the imagery instead as a ritualized tool for political propaganda. Through case studies like the century-long rivalry between Tikal and Calakmul, the sources illustrate how these violent clashes reshaped the geopolitical landscape. Ultimately, these records reveal a civilization where divine kingship and warfare were inextricably linked to a complex cosmic worldview.

"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it". George Santayana