How did the Maya and Teotihuacan develop prosperous and stable societies in the classical era?

image
Palace Doorway Lintel at Yaxchilan, MexicoLady Xoc, principal wife of King Shield-Jaguar, who holds a torch over her, pulls a thorn-lined rope through her tongue to sanctify with her blood the birth of a younger wife’s child — reflecting the importance of blood sacrifice in Maya culture. The elaborate headdresses and clothes of the couple show their royal status. (© The Trustees of the British Museum/Art Resource, NY)

IIn Mesoamerica the classical period (300 C.E. to 900 C.E.) saw major advances in religion, art, architecture, and farming, akin to those of the classical civilizations of the Mediterranean (see Chapters 5 and 6). It saw the rise of many city-states, and although the Maya city-states, which peaked between 600 C.E. and 900 C.E., were the longest lasting, others were significant as well. The city of Teotihuacan in the Valley of Mexico emerged as a major center of trade (300–650 C.E.). It was followed by the postclassical Toltec Empire (900–1200 C.E.), which adapted the cultural, ritual, and aesthetic practices that influenced later empires like the Aztecs.