Ancient Maya Politics
A Political Anthropology of the Classic Period 150–900 CE

With new readings of ancient texts, Ancient Maya Politics unlocks the long-enigmatic political system of the Classic Maya.

Simon Martin (Author)

9781108483889, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 18 June 2020

538 pages, 81 b/w illus. 9 maps 8 tables
26 x 18.5 x 3 cm, 1.28 kg

'Ancient Maya Politics provides a record of the political system and history of the Classic Period of Maya civilization, from 400 BCE to 200 CE and through its decline after 800 CE … Strongly recommended for specialists in Mesoamerican history and society.' E. N. Anderson, Choice

The Classic Maya have long presented scholars with vexing problems. One of the longest running and most contested of these, and the source of deeply polarized interpretations, has been their political organization. Using recently deciphered inscriptions and fresh archaeological finds, Simon Martin argues that this particular debate can be laid to rest. He offers a comprehensive re-analysis of the issue in an effort to answer a simple question: how did a multitude of small kingdoms survive for some six hundred years without being subsumed within larger states or empires? Using previously unexploited comparative and theoretical approaches, Martin suggests mechanisms that maintained a 'dynamic equilibrium' within a system best understood not as an array of individual polities but an interactive whole. With its rebirth as text-backed historical archaeology, Maya studies has entered a new phase, one capable of building a political anthropology as robust as any other we have for the ancient world.

1. Introduction: the questions
Part I. Agendas in Classic Maya Politics: 2. Modelling the Maya
3. On archaeopolitics
4. Worlds in words
Part II. Epigraphic Data on Classic Maya Politics: 5. Identity
6. Constitution
7. Transcendence
8. Matrimony
9. Conflict
10. Hierarchy
11. Coda
Part III. A Political Anthropology of the Classic Maya
12. Classic Maya networks
13. Defining classic Maya political culture
14. Hegemony in practice and theory
15. Summary and conclusions: a society of kings.

Subject Areas: Archaeology [HD], Social & cultural history [HBTB], Early history: c 500 to c 1450/1500 [HBLC], Ancient history: to c 500 CE [HBLA], History of the Americas [HBJK], History [HB]