Teotihuacan (the pyramids) was not an Aztec civilization. There are several findings that suggest that different cultures lived there, but none of the early civilizations were Aztecs. What is more, there has not been one single pre-Hispanic culture attributed to have lived in Teotihuacan yet. Teotihuacan was built around 200 B.C. and reached its peak close to 500 A.D. If you look at the history of the Aztecs, their peak was close to the 1300 A.D. and 1500 A.D. There are early sightings of the Aztecs from the 6th century, and it is debated whether or not they gave Teotihuacan its name, but one thing is for sure, the Aztecs did not build Teotihuacan. Although, they might have passed through and lived there for a short time.

It’s chilling to contemplate the decapitated bodies found buried in a chamber inside the Teotihuacan pyramid, as well as children’s graves unearthed at its corners. The parallel I might draw between the huge government programs we’re forced to fund and participate in and the human sacrifices offered up in ancient times is that both sets of rulers undoubtedly told themselves that what they were doing was done for “the greater good” of their inferiors.