The Mexica had a sophisticated legal system that regulated almost every aspect of public and private life. The laws were not codified in the modern sense, but they were well known and enforced by a hierarchy of courts. The laws covered a wide range of subjects, including theft, murder, adultery, drunkenness, tax evasion, and religious offenses. The Mexica had a clear sense of which acts constituted a crime and which punishments fit each, and the laws were enforced with vigor.
The Categories of Crime
The Mexica recognized a wide range of crimes, each with its own definition and its own punishment. The most serious crimes were those against the state, including treason, rebellion, and failure to pay the tribute. The next most serious were the crimes against the gods, including blasphemy, sacrilege, and the violation of the religious rules.
The crimes against the person included murder, assault, kidnapping, and slavery. The crimes against property included theft, fraud, and the destruction of property. The crimes against the family included adultery, incest, and the mistreatment of children. The Mexica also recognized a range of lesser offenses, including drunkenness, vagrancy, and the violation of the sumptuary laws.
The Laws Against Theft
The Mexica had a series of laws against theft, and the punishments for theft were severe. The most common form of theft was the theft of food or other goods, and the punishment for this crime was typically a fine or a period of slavery. The theft of more valuable goods, such as featherwork or jewelry, was punished more severely, and the punishment could include a longer period of slavery or even death.
The Mexica had a particular horror of theft from the temples, and the punishment for this crime was death. The Mexica also had a particular horror of theft from the Tlatoani or the nobility, and the punishment for this crime was also death. The Mexica believed that the theft of sacred or royal property was a particularly serious crime, and they took significant precautions to prevent it.
The Laws Against Murder
The Mexica had a series of laws against murder, and the punishment for murder was death. The Mexica recognized several different forms of murder, including the killing of a free person, the killing of a slave, and the killing of a member of the nobility. The punishment for the killing of a free person was typically death, and the punishment for the killing of a noble was particularly severe.
The Mexica also had a series of laws against accidental killing, and the punishment for accidental killing was less severe than the punishment for intentional killing. The Mexica believed that the intention of the killer was an important factor in determining the punishment, and they took the circumstances of the killing into account in the determination of the punishment.
The Laws Against Adultery
The Mexica had a particular horror of adultery, and the punishment for adultery was often death. The Mexica had a clear distinction between the rights of men and women in marriage, and they believed that adultery was a serious violation of the marital bond. The punishment for adultery was particularly severe when a married woman was involved with a man other than her husband, and the offending parties were often executed.
The Mexica also had a series of laws against other sexual offenses, including incest, rape, and prostitution. The punishment for incest was death, and the punishment for rape was also severe. The Mexica had a clear sense of the appropriate sexual behavior, and they enforced their laws with vigor.
The Laws Against Drunkenness
The Mexica had a series of laws against drunkenness, and the punishment for public drunkenness was severe. The Mexica had a particular horror of drunkenness outside of religious occasions, and they believed that public drunkenness was a violation of the social order. The punishment for public drunkenness was typically a fine or a period of slavery, and the punishment for repeat offenders was more severe.
The Mexica had a particular exception for public drunkenness during the great festivals, and they permitted and even encouraged drunkenness on these occasions. The Mexica believed that the festivals were a time for celebration and for the propitiation of the gods, and they allowed the people to drink to excess during the festivals. The Mexica also had a series of laws against the sale of alcohol to minors, and the punishment for this crime was severe.
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