Maya Civilization | History, Government, Empire, Facts & Culture

City-states

There were numerous city-states that made up the Maya civilization. Every city-state had a separate, autonomous government. A city-state was composed of a significant metropolis and its immediate surroundings, which occasionally included several smaller towns and cities. At its height, the Mayan civilisation had hundreds of cities, according to archaeologists.

King and Nobles

Every city-state had a king who oversaw it. The Maya thought that the gods had granted their king the power to govern. They held the opinion that the king served as a go-between for the people and the gods. The Maya used the terms “halach uinic” or “ahaw,” which mean “lord” or “ruler,” to refer to their leaders.

The government was also governed by strong councils of leaders. They were selected from the noble class. Military commanders were referred to as “nacom” and lesser lords as “batab”.

Priests

Because religion played a significant role in Maya culture, priests were also influential members of the ruling class. The king was regarded as a priest in other ways as well. The priests were frequently sought out by the Maya kings for future forecasts and crisis management guidance. As a result, the priests had a significant impact on the king’s administration.

Laws

The Maya people had rigid laws. Murder, arson, and deeds against the gods were among the crimes that were frequently executed. However, if it was found that the crime was the result of an accident, the punishment was significantly lessened.

If you broke the law, you had to go to court where the judges were the nobility or local authorities. The king would occasionally preside as a judge. The judge would consider the evidence and hear from the witnesses throughout the trial. If the defendant was found guilty, the sentence was executed right away.

Prisons weren’t a thing among the Maya. Death, servitude, and fines were all used as penalties for offenses. As a gesture of shame, they would occasionally shave the person’s head. The sentence can be lightened if the victim of the crime wished to grant the accused forgiveness or repentance.

Interesting information about the Maya monarchy and government

The oldest son typically received the title of king. The oldest brother became king if there wasn’t a son. There were, however, several instances of female rulers.

The king and the nobles were supported by taxes paid by the common people. When the monarch gave the order, men had to serve as fighters as well.

The law also applied to the Maya nobility. Nobles were frequently subjected to harsher punishments than commoners if they were found guilty of a crime.

The king’s attendants occasionally held a cloth over his face when he appeared in public so that commoners couldn’t see him. Additionally, commoners were not supposed to address him directly.

The attire or emblems of the nobles were off limits to commoners.

The Maya city-state government resembled the ancient Greek government in many ways.

Some Maya city-state remains, like those at Tikal and Chichen Itza, are still accessible today. For information on some of the more well-known and significant Maya city-states, see here.