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tion. Maps were then drawn of the territory to be crossed, and obstacles such as rivers were marked.
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The use of spies was a two-edged sword, however, and Tenochtitlan was also penetrated by disguised enemies, foreign merchants, disgruntled "allies," and domestic traitors. If enemy spies or local informers were discovered, they were torn apart, and their families were enslaved. The same fate awaited Aztec spies who fell into enemy hands, so spies were well compensated (usually with land) for the danger of their work.35 But plans could not be kept secret forever, particularly once mobilization had begun. |
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The home front played an important role in Aztec warfare. Tenochtitlan provided a resting place for the warriors in times of peace and was a source of soldiers, arms, and supplies in times of war. |
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Tenochtitlan was not fortified, in contrast to some Mesoamerican towns, but it was defensible.36 Many public buildings had a fortresslike aspect, and the city's position on an island the lakes connected to the mainland by only a few causeways greatly reduced the need for specialized fortifications. |
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As the Spaniards discovered, Aztec warriors made effective use of the parapeted, flat-roofed buildings throughout the city.37 The conquistador Francisco de Aguilar complained that when the Spaniards came out to fight, the Aztecs remained on the rooftops of houses and showered them with projectiles in relative safety.38 However, the city did have a few specialized defensive structures, such as a two-towered fortification ringed by a crenellated wall twelve feet wide, which was at the juncture of two causeways. This structure, which could be entered by only one gate and exited by another, commanded both entries, and there were removable bridges farther along on the causeway.39 More important to Tenochtitlan's defense than these edifices were the strategic intelligence discussed above and the tactical intelligence supplied by the city's guards. |
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Many cities used lookouts to spot approaching danger during troubled times.40 But even when the city was not actively at war, Tenochtitlan's vigilance was constant, since the danger of a sneak attack was ever-present. Thus, the king ordered that watch be kept day and night. Youths in all the telpochcalli were ordered to sing and dance throughout the night so that all the surrounding towns could |
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