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were feasible as long as the army marched within the empire, where supplies could be gathered from tributary towns, but once beyond the imperial boundaries, the campaign could extend only two or, at most, three days' march because the army had to rely on the goods it carried. |
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In the early campaigns none of the towns actually conquered were more than three days' march from the basin of Mexico, but as part of the valley of Tolocan campaign, the Aztecs pushed well beyond the three-day limit and into present-day northeastern Guerrero.
53 Tzacualpan, Teloloapan, Itztepec, Tetellan, Quetzallan, Tepecuacuilco, and Yohuallan54 were in an area previously under Tepanec influence,55 and all submitted. The Aztecs filled a power vacuum that had existed since the defeat of the Tepanec Empire. But the costs of subduing the region by force strongly argue against an interpretation of outright military conquest. And because of logistical limitations, the Aztec army had a major incentive to use its power as economically as possible. Intimidation was the preferred method of conquest, and if the first battle could be won decisively, subsequent towns were likelier to submit, possibly without the entire army having to enter the region. This interpretation is supported by the lack of historical references to the conquest of these towns (which are merely listed as tributaries). |
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If the foregoing campaign did involve strictly military conquests, the shortest probable route (via Tolocan) required marching approximately 562 kilometers (348 miles; 18 to 29 days). Each battle would presumably consume an additional day (6 days), and there would likely be a rest day following each battle (6 days.). Unless the post-battle rest days compensated for them, there were probably additional periodic rest daysevery 7 days (3 to 4 days) in ancient Greek practice,56 but possibly as frequent as every 5 days in Aztec practice (4 to 6 days).57 As a result, the total minimum campaign time would have been 29 to 41 days (33 to 47 with rest days) and the cost of such a venture was high. Each xiquipilli (8,000 soldiers) on a campaign required 4,000 additional porters, totaling 12,000 men who consumed 11,400 kilograms (25,000 pounds) of grain per day, or a total of 330,600 to 467,400 kilograms (727,0001,028,000 pounds) (for 2941 days). Yet an enemy town of 20,000 inhabitants could easily field an army of equivalent size (drawing on the defensive army of 90 percent of the male population), and the surrounding area could supply |
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