Aztecs 远古的回响 -- Aztecs帝国 1

（单词翻译）

Modern Mexico City is one of the largest cities in the world. Once it was a wilderness¹ area. A valley of saltwater lakes and swamps, surrounded by mountains and active volcanoes. At the beginning of the 14th century a nomadic³ tribe called the Mexica settled here, giving their name to Mexico and its capital city. Today the Mexica are better known as the Aztecs.

The Aztecs transformed themselves from simple nomad²s into rulers of the most powerful empire Central America had ever known. But after just 200 years it would all be gone.

Eyewitness⁵ accounts of Aztec life and intricate illustrated⁶ records portray⁷ a highly sophisticated and literate⁸ society. Yet, there was a dark side to Aztec life. People lived in fear. Ritual human sacrifice was performed on a scale unmatched throughout history. It’s for this above all things that the Aztecs were remembered.

How could brutal⁹ sacrifice be so commonplace in such a civilized¹⁰ society? Who were the Aztecs really? Bloodthirsty barbarian¹¹s or a great world civilization?

---------------------------
nomadic: adj. 游牧的
nomad: n. 游牧民
bloodthirsty: adj. 嗜杀的，残酷的
barbarian: n. 野蛮人