The First Punic War resulted in a massive loss to the Carthaginian side. They were forced to hand over several Mediterranean Sea territories over to Rome, including the islands of Sicily, Corsica, Lampedusa, and Ustica among others. These events led to the conquest of Spain starting in 236 BC according to the Bible Timeline Chart with World History.
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The Treaty of Lutatius specified that Carthage would need to pay a heavy ransom so their prisoners of war could be freed by Rome. Plus a heavy compensation of 3,200 talent of silver (2,200 was paid in ten installments and 1,000 paid immediately). The First Punic War ended Carthage’s domination of the profitable Mediterranean trade and pushed them to seek a new place to reestablish their control.
This humiliation deeply affected one of Carthage’s greatest generals, Hamilcar Barca. He decided to make up for this loss by sailing west into Iberia into what is now the Mediterranean coast of Spain. A new colony was to be established in Spain, and it would serve as a new power base for Carthage. More importantly, Hamilcar planned Iberia to be the new base for Carthage’s future revenge against Rome. He took with him his whole family, but before they set sail, Hamilcar offered sacrifices to the Phoenician god Melqart. Then he made his young son, Hannibal, “swear that he would never become a friend to the Romans.” Hannibal agreed and Hamilcar, along with his family and some settlers, sailed to Spain.
“Iberian Peninsula”
They reached Spain in 236 BC and set up a base in Gadir (present day Cadiz) as the center of Carthage’s new colony. According to Greek historian Polybius, Hamilcar spent nine years colonizing the eastern coast of Spain. The young Hannibal would grow up far from his homeland. His father colonized Spain using a combination of force and diplomacy while spies were sent to the Italian Alps in the north to look for a vulnerable place where they could invade. Hamilcar drowned in the Jucar River during an escape from the Celtic stronghold of Helike.
Hamilcar was succeeded by his son-in-law, Hasdrubal the Fair, as governor of Iberia. He was killed in 221 BC by one of the slaves of a Celtic king for revenge. His brother-in-law, Hannibal Barca, ruled the colony after his death and plotted his vengeance against Rome.
According to Jewish historian Josephus, the Judean king of Idumean descent, Herod the Great (74/73 BC-4 BC) decided to build a magnificent temple of God in the 18th year of his reign (listed as 20 BC on the Biblical Timeline). He proposed an expansion of the original second temple (one built under the leadership of Zerubbabel) first built during the time of the Achaemenids and continued during the time of the Macedonians. Herod spoke to the people of Jerusalem about this idea, but they were not enthusiastic at first because they feared that Herod might tear it down again. After he had reassured them that he would not tear it down, the people agreed to this magnificent building project.
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As much as ten thousand workmen were chosen to help build the temple, according to Josephus, and it was one of the biggest construction projects at the time. It was located on the northern portion of Mount Moriah and dominated the Kidron and Tyropoeon Valleys. The retaining walls were made of large cut stone blocks that were skillfully put together so well that they can still be visited today. However, the inner courts and temple themselves were destroyed many years ago. The inner portion of the walls were enclosed with porticoes or cloisters.
“Model of Herod’s Temple”
It had the same dimensions as that of Solomon’s temple which measured 60 cubits long, 20 cubits wide, and 40 cubits high. The courts were divided into four: one for priests, one for Jewish males, one for women, and the last one for Gentiles. Four storage chambers were built at each corner of the women’s courtyard: the Chamber of Lepers, Chamber of Wood, Chamber of the Nazarites, and the Chamber of Oils.
Herod enlarged the length of the temple area, but not its width and according to Josephus and the Mishnah, had several gates that led to the outer court. It had an inner court which led to the sanctuary where the altar was located and where non-Jews were forbidden to enter. The enclosure had nine gates: four on the northern wall, four on the southern wall, one on the eastern wall, and none on the western portion. Two were reserved for women (one on the north and one on the southern end) while six were reserved only for men. Next to the women’s courtyard was the Gate of Nicanor, the largest gate leading to the temple, which measured 50 cubits high and 40 cubits wide.
The temple itself towered up to 15 stories high and divided into the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies. The Holy Place contained the altar of incense, the seven-branched golden candlestick, and the table of the shewbread. It led to an inner sanctuary called the Holy of Holies, which the Jews considered as the dwelling place of God. The Ark of Covenant was located inside, and divided from the Holy Place by a curtain or veil. The magnificent decorations of the temple were covered in with silver, gold, and bronze.
According to John 2:20, it took forty-six years for the temple to be completed, but it was only completed during the procuratorship of Albius. Which means it took more than eighty years to complete the temple. It was destroyed by fire less than a decade later by the Romans when Jerusalem was besieged by Titus.
References:
Picture By Berthold Werner – Own work, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=5333254
“JewishEncyclopedia.com.” TEMPLE OF HEROD –. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 May 2016
Alexander Jannaeus was the second Hasmonean king after Aristobulus and the son of Maccabeean leader John Hyrcanus. According to the Bible Timeline with World History, he lived around 98 BC. His reign was full of conflict with Judea’s neighbors and marred by conflicts within Judea itself. Much of what we know about Alexander Jannaeus came from the writings of Jewish historian Flavius Josephus. Alexander was not his father’s heir as he was younger than two of his brothers. According to Josephus, he was also his father’s least favorite child.
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This unfortunate start was made worse after Aristobulus, his brother, imprisoned their mother whom John Hyrcanus wanted to rule in his stead after his death. Aristobulus, along with another brother Antigonus, conspired together when they starved their mother to death in prison and proclaimed himself king instead. They also left three of their brothers, including Alexander Jannaeus, imprisoned. Alexandra Salome, the new king’s wife, tricked both Aristobulus and his brother Antigonus which resulted in them turning against each other. Because of this, Aristobulus killed his brother and descended into madness soon afterward. According to Josephus, he died after he reigned for one year of a disease of the intestines.
Alexander Jannaeus was freed by Queen Alexandra after the death of Aristobulus. She then had him proclaimed as new king of Judea, and both sealed the pact through marriage. He had one of his brothers whom he considered a threat to his kingship killed but spared another brother who only wanted a quiet life.
Many people died because of greed and pride under the reign of Alexander
Conflicts
During the height of his reign, his territory stretched from Dan in the north to Beersheba. Alexander attacked the coastal city of Ptolemais (modern Acre) soon after he became king. The rulers of Ptolemais needed an ally to help them defend the city, and they chose Ptolemy Lathyrus for help. He was removed by his mother, Cleopatra III from governing Egypt earlier and was exiled in Cyprus. Thus, he was eager to regain power with this alliance with the rulers of Ptolemais. He was further assured that the people of Gaza (which Alexander also attacked) would be on his side, as well as the Sidonians and other allies.
Ptolemy’s ambition of returning to power was cut short when an influential man from Ptolemais, called Demenetus, convinced the people to submit instead to the Jews. He was worried that an alliance with Ptolemy would alarm his mother who ruled as queen of Egypt and would likely attack Ptolemais herself. Ptolemy heard this while in Cyprus, but he decided to sail to Ptolemais with his soldiers despite the people’s betrayal. To add insult to injury, the rulers of Ptolemais refused to talk to him and his ambassadors when they arrived outside their city.
Ptolemy was redeemed when the rulers of Gaza asked for his assistance after Alexander besieged their city. Alexander Jannaeus showed how cunning he was when he deceived Ptolemy into a public alliance with him but made a secret alliance with Cleopatra against her son. Ptolemy handed over the cities of his former allies to Alexander Jannaeus. When he discovered the Judean king’s scheme, he proceeded to attack several cities in Galilee. Many were successful, so Alexander asked for Cleopatra’s help. She sent her loyal Jewish generals Helkias and Ananias to help the Judean king, so her son was forced to withdraw from Alexander’s territories.
Alexander also launched a series of conquests towards the Transjordan region for the profitable trade route that ran through the Nabatean territory. He conquered the cities of Gadara, Raphia, Anthedon, and Gaza. He also tried to take the fortress of Amathus but was unsuccessful when he and his troops were ambushed by its ruler Theodorus.
Civil War
Angered after the Judean king wrested the trade routes from him, the Nabatean king Obodas I, ambushed him at Golan. After this defeat, Alexander decided to return to Jerusalem, but was opposed by his own people. The Jewish people’s growing resentment culminated into a full civil war after an incident during the Feast of the Tabernacles. As he was the High Priest, Alexander was assigned the task of pouring the water during the libation ceremony on the altar. Instead of doing this, he poured the water on his feet.
This angered the Jews who were at the temple, and they pelted Alexander, a Sadducee, with citrons which in turn angered him. He ordered the massacre of thousands of people who were in the temple at that time and prevented others from offering sacrifices at the temple following the massacre. This incident started the six-year civil war during his reign with the Pharisees leading the rebels against Jannaeus.
The Judean rebels allied themselves with the Seleucids under Demetrius III Eucaerus, who helped them defeat Jannaeus at Shechem. After they had seen his defeat, the Judean leaders changed their minds and sided with Jannaeus again. Together, they defeated Demetrius but after the war, Jannaeus was not in the mood for a reconciliation. He had the rebel leaders (Pharisees) killed along with their families, as well as had thousands of other rebels exiled to Syria and Egypt.
Other Conquests and Death
Because of his cruelty and his failings as a king, Alexander was hated by his own people, so he had to rely on foreign troops to defend his territories. He was helpless against the Arab king Aretas, who invaded Judea later in his reign and wrested from him the control of the road between Jaffa and Jerusalem. He died after an illness at the age of 51 and left the kingdom to his wife, Alexandra Salome.
John Hyrcanus lived during one of the most tumultuous periods of Jewish history when Judea was under the rule of the Seleucid dynasty. According to the Biblical Timeline Chart with World History, this was around 105 BC. He was one of the various rebel leaders in his family, starting with his grandfather Mattathias Maccabeus, who led successful campaigns against Hellenistic Jews and their allies, the Seleucid Empire. The early Maccabees were masters of guerrilla warfare and won important campaigns even when they were vastly outnumbered by their enemies.
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Much of what we know about John Hyrcanus came from the works of Jewish historian Flavius Josephus. In his books Antiquities of the Jews and The Jewish War, Josephus tells us that John Hyrcanus was the son of Simon. Simon was a leader proclaimed as a high priest after his successful campaign against the tyrant Trypho and Seleucid ruler Antiochus. Hyrcanus was also the nephew of rebel leaders, Judas and Jonathan Maccabeus
Death of Judas Maccabeus
Against Ptolemy
His father, Simon, was killed by his own son-in-law Ptolemy* after he attended a banquet at the invitation of Ptolemy’s father, Abubus. Two of Hyrcanus’ brothers, Mattathias, and Judas came with their father to the feast and were also killed. After an unsuccessful attempt to kill John Hyrcanus, who promptly escaped, Ptolemy imprisoned his mother and brothers as hostages.
John Hyrcanus took refuge in the city where he was welcomed and sheltered by the people because of his father’s heroism and their hatred of Ptolemy. His enemy made another attempt to end Hyrcanus’ life, but it was unsuccessful. Hyrcanus would be appointed as high priest. After he had gathered enough supporters, they attacked Ptolemy in an attempt to free his mother and brothers from prison. Ptolemy brought out Hyrcanus’ family and had them tortured to stop him from besieging the city. Ptolemy’s ruse worked, and Hyrcanus ended the siege after he saw his family severely beaten with rods.
The conflict between Ptolemy and John Hyrcanus would last for many years, which culminated until the Sabbatical Year when the latter stopped all attacks against his enemy. In the same year, Ptolemy killed Hyrcanus’ mother and brothers and fled to Zeno, the tyrant of Philadelphia. John Hyrcanus became the ruler of Judea after Ptolemy fled the city.
Wars with Seleucid Ruler and Surrender
His first few years as ruler of Judea were not peaceful as Antiochus VII Sidetus, the Seleucid king of Syria, decided to attack Judea. After several years of sieges, Hyrcanus was defeated, and he was forced to submit to the conditions laid out by Antiochus. He demanded from Hyrcanus the surrender of all weapons, the imposition of taxes on cities outside of Judea, a tribute of 500 talents, and several hostages so he could keep a tight grip on the people. Hyrcanus was also forced to plunder the sepulchre of David as a tribute to Antiochus, which led to the resentment of the Judean people. His reputation also suffered when he was forced to serve Antiochus in his campaign against the Parthians. Antiochus died the next year, and Hyrcanus decided to attack the now-vulnerable Syria.
Later Life
Hyrcanus took revenge on Syria with a successful invasion of Medab, Samega, and other surrounding cities. He also took Shechem, Gerizzim, and the territories of the Cutheans (Samaritans) where he destroyed their temple that resembled the one in Jerusalem. He also forced the Idumeans to convert to Judaism after he conquered the cities of Marissa and Dora.
Hyrcanus established a friendly relationship with Rome after he sent ambassadors to the city. He was now backed by Rome while Judea also had a peaceful relationship with Egypt, Athens, and Pergamum during his reign. He ruled Judea peacefully for another 31 years and had five sons—one of whom was Aristobulus, the first king of Judea.
References:
Picture By José Teófilo de Jesus – Scan, MAB/Safra catalogue., Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=10935138
Josephus, Flavius, and William Whiston. The Antiquities of the Jews. London: Routledge
Josephus, Flavius, and William Whiston. The War of the Jews. London: J.M. Dent & Sons
Richard Wetherill, a rancher from Colorado, was credited as the one who discovered the magnificent Cliff Palace in Mesa Verda. It would be followed by the discovery of Keet Seel and other such dwellings which sparked the world’s interest in the ancient people who abandoned these communities. It was also Wetherill who gave them the name Anasazi after the Navajo word anaasa’zi, which means “enemy ancestors.” Their descendants such as the modern Hopi, Acoma, Piro, Zia, and Zuni peoples prefer to use the term “Ancient Pueblo” because of the negative feelings the Navajo word “Anasazi” invokes and they use the name for their ancestors in their own languages. The Anasazi basketmaking age began towards the end of 200 BC according to the Bible Timeline Poster with With World History.
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The Ancestral Pueblo lived in the Four Corners region of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah for thousands of years before their abrupt disappearance from the area. The oldest cultural stages of the Ancestral Pueblo were divided into Basketmaker II and Basketmaker III periods which came from a large amount of intricate baskets woven from yucca plant fibers that were recovered from the archeological sites.
“Cliff Palace, Mesa Verde National Park”
There were two proposed origins of the Ancient Pueblo: first was the in situ model which meant that they descended directly from the original occupants of the area while the second was that they migrated from the Mogollon Rim of Arizona as shown by the similarities between Basketmaker II and the San Pedro phase of the Cochise Tradition.
The Ancestral Pueblo were hunter-gatherers during the early part of the Basketmaker period, but maize and squash were cultivated soon afterward. Corn is a heat-tolerant crop which made it perfect for farming in an arid land, and it was widely cultivated during the Basketmaker period. They used dryland farming techniques such as the use of pumice stones to conserve water, as well as the construction of check dams, waffle gardens, and terracing, to effectively use what little water they had.
Flint projectile points were used to hunt game and the intricate baskets (of which they were famous for) were used to store food. They dug circular pithouses in the open fields or in the shelter of the cliffs with logs and rocks stacked on top of another for the foundation. They placed firepits at the center of the pithouses with an opening on the roof which they used for cooking and for warmth.
Some of the artifacts recovered from the Ancient Pueblo sites during this period were shell jewelry, sandals, robes and blankets made from fur and feathers, woven bags from yucca fibers, manos and metates (hand tools used for grinding corn), and stone weapons. The use of ceramics and house improvement would not come until the Basketmaker III period.
The Olmec civilization was one of the oldest (if not the oldest) civilizations that rose in Mesoamerica. The Olmec people’s enduring legacy was their colossal head statues, detailed rock carvings, and writing system. The cities of San Lorenzo, La Venta, and Tres Zapotes near the Gulf of Mexico served as their major urban centers. These cities rose and declined one after the other until the last major urban centers were abandoned completely. According to the Biblical Timeline Chart with World History, the final decline of the Olmecs occurs just before the time of Christ’s birth.
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The environment that sustained the Olmec civilization may have played a great role in its decline. The Olmec people lived in a rich land near the coast of the Gulf of Mexico where they could farm and make use of the vast trade networks on the coast. But it was also vulnerable to climatic changes that brought on drought, as well as earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. These may have caused the river channels to shift, preventing the Olmec from irrigating their crops and disrupting their food production.
“Olmec people’s enduring legacy was their colossal head statues, detailed rock carvings, and writing system.”
Human actions such as internal strife and warfare with other tribes may have also affected the Olmec people and one of the possible causes for their decline. Their gigantic head statues and altars showed signs of mutilation and defacement. Some were partially broken or grooved while others were completely smashed—signs of a great upheaval that may have come from a rebellion within or an invasion of other tribes.
The Olmecs abandoned their cities on the Gulf coast and trade routes, as well as distribution networks. The decline of the Olmec civilization on the Gulf Coast also coincided with the rise of highland urban centers. Their increased use of irrigation in the highlands and greater agricultural production eclipsed the last major Olmec center. This may have resulted in a major shift in population.
References: CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=129925
Childress, David Hatcher. The Mystery of the Olmecs. Kempton, IL: Adventures Unlimited Press, 2007
Grove, David C. Discovering the Olmecs: An Unconventional History. University of Texas Press, 2014
Sharer, Robert J., and David C. Grove. Regional Perspectives on the Olmec. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1989
Etched on the dry grounds of the Pampa de Nazca in the southern Peruvian plain thousands of years ago, the Nazca lines continue to be a source of fascination for scholars and tourists alike. According to the Biblical Timeline Poster with World History, they are dated back to 200 BC. These lines were known to the local people for many years but research about how and why these lines were made only started in the late 1920s after commercial flights started to pass the Peruvian airspace.
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The area covers a total of 220 sq km and bounded by the Ingenio River on the north and the Nazca River on the southern portion. The foothills of the Andean mountain range rise on the eastern portion while the wide expanse of the Pacific bounds the plain on the west. The Nazca people, who lived thousands of years ago in this desert, removed the top portion of the rocky ground and exposed the lighter sand underneath it. They carved more than just straight lines on the ground. Geometric shapes and figures of plants, as well as animals, can be seen from above.
The straight lines radiate from a common connecting point—a hill, usually—and lead to oases on the plain. These lines outnumber the geometric shapes (geoglyphs) with one of the longest measured up to 20 km. Around 300 geoglyphs were etched on the desert and follow the straight lines when it comes to numbers. These geometric shapes include trapezoids, rectangles, and triangles, as well as concentric rays and spirals. Some of the biggest geometric shapes reached as far as to 1300 feet by 130 feet.
Fascinating plant and animal forms (biomorphs) were etched on the dry plain. A fish, a dog, and a spider, as well as a number of birds, were among the animals carved on the ground. The species of birds include a hummingbird, a condor, and a frigatebird which can be clearly seen from above. A killer whale and a monkey (only found in the Peruvian Amazon) were also among those etched on this vast plain.
Mysterious Origins
No one knows exactly why the Nazca people made these lines and geoglyphs. For Maria Reiche, the German-born archeologist, the Nazca lines were observatories for constellations that marked the time for the ancient people to sow and harvest. Although this explanation fell out of use in recent years, Maria Reiche is still honored in Peru for her efforts in the research and preservation of the Nazca lines.
Professor and explorer Johan Reinhard, also offered another explanation for the purpose of the Nazca lines. He suggested that the lines were used for fertility and agricultural rituals as shown by the symbolism of the animal figures that were carved on the ground. For example, the hummingbird, spider, and monkey were all connected to fertility and rain for the ancient Nazca. Other explanations for its purpose include its uses to indicate underground water sources, an astronomical calendar, a place for ancient Nazca rituals, and an alien landing strip.
The severe lack of rain and wind helped preserve the Nazca lines. Maria Reiche did much to publicize these geological wonders and helped preserve them by hiring guards through profits from her book The Mystery of the Desert first published in 1949. Today, squatters, tourists, and floods pose a greater threat to the preservation of Peru’s ancient heritage than the sun and heat.
Cerros started out as a small village of farmers and fishermen on the coast of the Corozal Bay. Its access to the sea made it a significant trading port in ancient coastal Belize. As a result, its population grew steadily. This Maya city became a major trade, culture, and religious center during the Late Preclassic Period. This was marked by magnificent structures such as the step pyramids, ball courts, and acropolis. Cerros was home to many people at its peak but it all changed many years later when it was completely abandoned by the people who lived there. This happened close to the time of Christ’s Birth according to the Biblical Timeline with World History.
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Many Maya urban centers experienced a decline during the last years of the Late Preclassic Period including Cerros. The population of the city gradually became smaller and important sites were eventually abandoned. Monuments were neglected and the Mayas did not make new ones during this period. The rainforest then slowly took over the farms and structures the people built in the past.
“Cerros, Corozal, Belize”
There are different possibilities why Cerros was abandoned completely. One explanation is the climactic changes the region experienced which resulted in droughts. Soil erosion and deforestation also made matters worse. The scarcity of food brought about by these changes may have driven the Mayas (in Cerros and other sites) to look for a more hospitable environment where they can grow food.
As it was one of the major Maya cities during the period, overpopulation and diseases also played a part in its decline. Cerros, in addition, relied heavily on sea trading routes in its early years. As Tikal and other Mesoamerican cities grew, the trade routes were disrupted from the waterways to further inland which reduced the city’s significance. A few families remained around Cerros, but it would never regain its past glory as one of the most important Maya cities.
References:
Picture By HJPD – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=6640093
McKillop, Heather Irene. The Ancient Maya: New Perspectives. Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO, 2004
Foster, Lynn V. Handbook to Life in the Ancient Maya World. New York: Facts on File, 2002
Teotihuacan, the Nahuatl word for “the place or city of the gods”, was one of the biggest and most significant cities in ancient Mesoamerica. This city, located in the northern part of the Valley of Mexico, was occupied in the ancient times. Refugees from the nearby Cuicuilco further swelled its population to up to 200,000 after the eruption of the Xitle volcano. Teotihuacan became the cultural, religious, and trading center of Mesoamerica towards the end of 100 BC according to the Bible Timeline with World History.
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Teotihuacan stood out among the greatest cities of the ancient world because of its grid layout and orientation of 15° east of true north. It was one of the biggest cities of the ancient world at its height which spanned up to 20 sq km across and contained many temples, palaces, pyramids, and apartments. The Avenue of the Dead (the main road) ran north-south of the city and ended at the Pyramid of the Moon while the Pyramid of the Sun—one of the most massive structures in ancient Mesoamerica—was built east of the Avenue of the Dead. Teotihuacan was the major religious center in central America at its peak and similar religious elements found in the city were also found in urban centers far from the area.
From the ceremonial centers, royal palaces and apartment complexes fanned out from the middle of the city. These stone structures were built in different sizes according to the social status of the persons who lived in them and these were painted with colorful murals, some of which have survived until today.
The Pre-Aztec people of Teotihuacan farmed the fields surrounding this enormous city while others engaged in pottery and carving of obsidian tools. It became the center for long-distance trade in Mesoamerica and its influence spread even to the neighboring Mayas in the Gulf of Mexico, the Pacific coast, and south to Honduras. Central American figures resembling those in Teotihuacan also appeared in contemporary Maya monuments in places as far as Montana and Tikal in Guatemala while mica tiles used in Teotihuacan were brought from the Zapotecs of Monte Alban, an evidence of trade between the two peoples.
References:
Read, Kay Almere., and Jason J. González. Mesoamerican Mythology: A Guide to the Gods, Heroes, Rituals, and Beliefs of Mexico and Central America. New York: Oxford University Press, 2000
Cremin, Aedeen. The World Encyclopedia of Archaeology. Richmond Hill, Ont.: Firefly Books, 2012
Picture By Michael Wassmer from France – Flickr, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1140540
The ruins of the ancient city of Cerros lies on the outskirts of the Maya heartland on the coast of Belize. This once great center was built on a peninsula that juts out into the Chetumal Bay. The lush rainforests on the western part of what is now modern Belize and Guatemala, as well as the rich Caribbean Sea allowed the Maya people to flourish in this coastal area during the Late Preclassic Period (400 BC-100 AD). The rise of the Maya City of Cerros in Belize occurred in 50 BC according to the Bible Timeline Chart with World History.
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The people of Cerros were part of the Eastern Lowland Mayas, who mostly lived in Belize and some parts of Guatemala. Ancient Cerros started out as a small village in the Preclassic Period and evolved into a large coastal urban center during the Late Preclassic Period. El Mirador in Peten, Guatemala rose at the same time as Cerros, but it was considered larger than its counterpart in the coast of Belize.
“Belize Cerros Structure 5.”
The position of Cerros between the coast and jungles of Belize made it one of the most important Maya sites. The rich land allowed agriculture to flourish while its nearness to the coast made it ideal for trading and fishing. The Mayas of Cerros built a canal that encircled their fields, ball courts, houses, and shrines to ensure the proper irrigation of the whole city. Temples and palaces were built on the northern tip of the peninsula with houses for the common people beyond these structures. Priests also served as rulers of this city as seen on the iconography of stucco masks of the sun god at a temple’s summit.
Several temples were built by Cerros kings when the city was at its height. One of the most important (and spectacular) was Structure 5C. This temple featured masks of the mythical Hero Twins in the Popol Vuh, which were identified by Maya epigrapher Linda Schele and anthropology professor David Freidel.
The Mayas abandoned Cerros during the last years of the Late Preclassic Period. The reasons for this exodus from Cerros is still unknown. It became a small village later on until it was vacated by the Maya people forever.
References:
Picture By Elelicht – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=22637361
McKillop, Heather Irene. The Ancient Maya: New Perspectives. Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO, 2004
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Sharer, Robert J., and Loa P. Traxler. The Ancient Maya. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press, 1994
