The pochteca were the long-distance merchants of the Mexica state, and they were a class of professional merchants who lived in Tenochtitlan and who traveled throughout Mesoamerica on trading expeditions. The pochteca were drawn from the commoners, but they were organized into a hierarchy of ranks, and the most successful pochteca were among the most respected and wealthiest figures in Mexica society. The pochteca enjoyed a special legal status that allowed them to travel freely through enemy territory, and they were granted certain privileges, including the right to wear certain ornaments and to be attended by servants.
The Origins of the Pochteca
The pochteca had their origins in the earlier Mesoamerican cultures, and the tradition of the long-distance merchant was well established before the Mexica arrived in the Valley of Mexico. The pochteca were drawn from the commoners, but they were required to undergo a long period of training, and they were required to pass a series of tests before they were allowed to practice the trade.
The pochteca were organized into a guild under the patronage of Yacatecuhtli, the god of merchants and travelers. They maintained their own temples in Tenochtitlan, where they performed elaborate rituals to honor the patron deity of the long road. The guild was also responsible for training new merchants, and it held a monopoly on the long-distance trade.
The Ranks of the Pochteca
The pochteca were organized into a hierarchy of ranks, with the senior pochteca being the most respected and wealthiest figures in the trade. The most senior pochteca, the tlahtohcapohuetztque, lived in the wealthier neighborhoods of Tenochtitlan, and they had the right to wear certain ornaments and to be attended by servants. The senior pochteca were also important politically, and they often served as the principal envoys of the Mexica state in their dealings with foreign powers.
The lower ranks of the pochteca were less wealthy and less prestigious, but they were still important in the Mexica trading system. The lower ranks of the pochteca, the tlatlauhco, were responsible for the day-to-day conduct of the trade, and they traveled regularly throughout Mesoamerica on trading expeditions.
The Privileges of the Pochteca
The pochteca enjoyed a special legal status that allowed them to travel freely through enemy territory, and they were granted certain privileges that were not available to other commoners. The most important of these privileges included the right to wear certain ornaments, the right to be attended by servants, and the right to be received as envoys by foreign rulers. The pochteca were also exempt from certain taxes and from certain labor obligations, and they were allowed to carry weapons for their protection.
The pochteca were also important in the diplomatic system, and they often served as the principal envoys of the Mexica state in their dealings with foreign powers. The pochteca had a good knowledge of the languages, the customs, and the political situations of the regions they visited, and they were able to negotiate treaties and alliances on behalf of the Mexica state.
The Legacy of the Pochteca
The pochteca shaped the Mexica economy. The pochteca have been compared to similar groups in other pre-modern states, including the Greek symposiasts and the Roman negotiatores. The pochteca have also been studied for their insights into the workings of the Mexica economic system, and they have been used to inform the modern understanding of the Mexica trade.
The Spanish conquest brought the pochteca system to an end, and the Spanish imposed their own system of trade and commerce. Yet the memory of the pochteca has survived, and it shaped the Mexican economic and cultural heritage. Today the pochteca are recognized as one of the most important social groups in Mexica society, and the study of the pochteca is a central part of the modern understanding of Mexica civilization.
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