Some Useful Information: Meso-American Warfare
Recently, as a result of discussions regarding the methodology of Aztec warfare, Ralph Krebs of the WAB list very kindly provided the following list of reading materials to yours truly. I thought I'd share the reading list, as recommended by Ralph, for those of you who find the subject interesting. At any rate, I occasionally get emails asking about this sort of thing, and I can find no better way to help out than to share this list of reading. The comments are Ralph's, not my own, but I find no reason at present to dispute them.
Original Sources:
Codex Mendoza "I bought Berdan and Anawalts, Univ of California 1997 version. I bought mine for about $25 used on the internet. Its beautiful!"
Codex Florentino "I don't have it as it is extremely expensive. I bought one book for $40 (out of the 13 books that make up the Codex). There are only 3 books that have military matters in them. Unfortunately the info in them is essential. See the Chronofus internet address below."
The Discovery and Conquest of Mexico by Bernal Diaz de Castillo. "The best of the Conquistador writers. Get the Maudsley translation from DaCapo, NOT the Penguin Classic which is abridged without them saying so. Light on military details."
Ralph also adds,
"Remember, the Conquistadors were dumbstruck and totally ignorant of the Aztec means of doing things and these books show it."
The Letters from Mexico by Hernan Cortes. "Hard to tell when this guy is telling the truth. His version of the massacre at Cholula is totally at odds with native versions and modern archaeology. But also light on military detail. "
Native sources (besides the Codices):
Cronica Mexicana by Alvarado Tezozomoc.
Obras Historicas by Fernando de Alva Ixtlilxochitl.
Ralph says, in regards to both:
"These generally show a heavy anti-Aztec bias."
Modern Sources:
"If you can only get three books get these,"
Armies of the 16th Century: Armies of the Aztec and Incas and other native peoples of the Americas by Ian Heath, Foundry Books 1998. "It's expensive and hard to find but get it! Some minor errors and omissions but indispensible."
The Daily Life Of the Aztecs by Jacques Soustelle, Stanford Univ.Press. "Great read by the great French scholar."
Aztec Warfare: Imperial Expansion and Political Control by Ross Hassig, Univ. of Oklahoma Press 1995. "This is my favourite of theonly two scholars who write about Mesoamerican Warfare for the public. A wealth of military and historical information."
"Also consider,"
Aztecs and Conquistadors by John Pohl, Osprey Publishing 2005. "An amalgamation of Pohl's previous 3 Osprey books into a single hardcover book. Easy to read but not the information or detail as found in the Hassig book. Excellent illustrations as usual for Osprey."
The Conquest Of Mexico by Hugh Thomas, Random House 1993. "My favourite of the 'General History' type book. More detailed than Hassigs Mexico and the Spanish Conquest and also a good read."
Ancient Mesoamerican Warfare edited by Brown and Stanton, Altamira Press 2003. "Essays by 20 or so scholars, all of which write in that dense, opaque style beloved by those in the ivory towers. If you want to get info on Mesoamerican warfare by analyzing the changes in lacquers from different pot shards at various Mixtec sites then this is the book for you."
Internet:
"Try chronofus's website. He has a great collection of codices andall things Aztec at www.chronofus.net/accessories/aztec.html; feel free to ask him any questions. He is a wargamer too!"
Hope you find this list as useful as I have.
Note: I have found that Chronofus is in the process of re-writing his Aztec information. What can currently be found may be located in the index at:
http://www.chronofus.net/wargames/index.htm
-A.
Original Sources:
Codex Mendoza "I bought Berdan and Anawalts, Univ of California 1997 version. I bought mine for about $25 used on the internet. Its beautiful!"
Codex Florentino "I don't have it as it is extremely expensive. I bought one book for $40 (out of the 13 books that make up the Codex). There are only 3 books that have military matters in them. Unfortunately the info in them is essential. See the Chronofus internet address below."
The Discovery and Conquest of Mexico by Bernal Diaz de Castillo. "The best of the Conquistador writers. Get the Maudsley translation from DaCapo, NOT the Penguin Classic which is abridged without them saying so. Light on military details."
Ralph also adds,
"Remember, the Conquistadors were dumbstruck and totally ignorant of the Aztec means of doing things and these books show it."
The Letters from Mexico by Hernan Cortes. "Hard to tell when this guy is telling the truth. His version of the massacre at Cholula is totally at odds with native versions and modern archaeology. But also light on military detail. "
Native sources (besides the Codices):
Cronica Mexicana by Alvarado Tezozomoc.
Obras Historicas by Fernando de Alva Ixtlilxochitl.
Ralph says, in regards to both:
"These generally show a heavy anti-Aztec bias."
Modern Sources:
"If you can only get three books get these,"
Armies of the 16th Century: Armies of the Aztec and Incas and other native peoples of the Americas by Ian Heath, Foundry Books 1998. "It's expensive and hard to find but get it! Some minor errors and omissions but indispensible."
The Daily Life Of the Aztecs by Jacques Soustelle, Stanford Univ.Press. "Great read by the great French scholar."
Aztec Warfare: Imperial Expansion and Political Control by Ross Hassig, Univ. of Oklahoma Press 1995. "This is my favourite of theonly two scholars who write about Mesoamerican Warfare for the public. A wealth of military and historical information."
"Also consider,"
Aztecs and Conquistadors by John Pohl, Osprey Publishing 2005. "An amalgamation of Pohl's previous 3 Osprey books into a single hardcover book. Easy to read but not the information or detail as found in the Hassig book. Excellent illustrations as usual for Osprey."
The Conquest Of Mexico by Hugh Thomas, Random House 1993. "My favourite of the 'General History' type book. More detailed than Hassigs Mexico and the Spanish Conquest and also a good read."
Ancient Mesoamerican Warfare edited by Brown and Stanton, Altamira Press 2003. "Essays by 20 or so scholars, all of which write in that dense, opaque style beloved by those in the ivory towers. If you want to get info on Mesoamerican warfare by analyzing the changes in lacquers from different pot shards at various Mixtec sites then this is the book for you."
Internet:
"Try chronofus's website. He has a great collection of codices andall things Aztec at www.chronofus.net/accessories/aztec.html; feel free to ask him any questions. He is a wargamer too!"
Hope you find this list as useful as I have.
Note: I have found that Chronofus is in the process of re-writing his Aztec information. What can currently be found may be located in the index at:
http://www.chronofus.net/wargames/index.htm
-A.
posted by Aurelian at 12:19 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home