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The Aztec Social Hierarchy
How did the Social System of the
Aztec Reflect their Worldview?
Aztec society was highly structured, based
on agriculture and trade, and guided by a
religion that was part of every aspect of
life.
The Aztecs worshipped gods that
represented natural forces necessary to
their agricultural economy.
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The Aztec had a hierarchical system of
authority divided into three social classes:
upper, middle, and lower:
Nobility
• The pipiltin (pee-PEEL-teen), the upper
class, was the ruling class made up of
nobles, high-ranking warriors, and highranking priests.
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Members of this class occupied the top
positions in government, the army, and the
priesthood. They also held the jobs of
administrators, judges, and clerks.
The most revered nobleman was the
emperor who was referred to as ‘the great
speaker’. As well as being the political
ruler, he was also considered to be the
highest ranking priest.
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Think it Through
In modern texts we refer
to Moctezuma as the
“emperor” of the Aztec
people. But to the
Aztecs he was the
“Great Speaker”. What
do the differences in
titles suggest about how
Western society views
Moctezuma’s role
compared with how the
Aztec people viewed it?
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Members of the pipiltin were expected to
conduct themselves in an exemplary way
and follow a strict code of behaviour. They
were expected to be role models for the
commoners.
When any pipiltin broke the laws of the
empire, they were punished even more
severely than a commoner.
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Commoners were divided into two classes:
• The macehualtin (may-say-WALL-teen) or
middle class, was able to improve their
status by gaining recognition in the
military, or by becoming priests,
merchants, artisans, or long distance
traders.
A small number of macehualtin managed
to become very wealthy, usually through
trading, and were able to purchase their
own land.
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• The mayeques (mah-YAY-kays) worked
the land of the nobles. They were also
required to build and maintain temples of
the cities and the palaces of the nobles.
Although the land belonged to the nobles,
the mayeques were guaranteed a piece of
land that they could cultivate for life and
even pass on to their children. They
received a share of the produce after
tribute and taxes were paid.
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The lowest in status were the tlacotin (tlahKOH-teen), the slaves. No person was
born into slavery. An individual could sell
himself or herself into slavery if unable to
pay a debt.
Sometimes a person was made a slave as
punishment for a crime. The owner of a
slave did not own the person, but only the
work of the person. Slaves were able to
own property and marry. It was also
possible for slaves to buy their freedom.
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The Aztec Social Hierarchy
Emperor
Nobility and Priests
Merchants, Artisans, Soldiers
Farmers, Fishers, Women
Slaves
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Take Home Points
• The Aztecs lived in a hierarchical society
which was highly structured, based on its
agricultural and trading economy.
• The emperor (or great speaker) was
chosen from the ranks of the nobility
(pipiltin) and, even though the Aztecs
knew he was a human being, they treated
him as if he were a god.
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• The commoners were divided into two
classes, the macehualtin or middle class,
and the peasants or mayeques, the lower
class.
• The commoners provided all the labour to
keep the economy of the empire
flourishing and made up most of the
military.
• An individual was born into a particular
social class generally remained a member
of that class.
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