Zapotec Civilization Be'ena'a (Zapotec) | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| c. 700 BCE–1521 CE | |||||||
 The Zapotec Civilization at its greatest extent | |||||||
| Status | Zapotec–Mixtec Alliance | ||||||
| Capital |
| ||||||
| Common languages | Zapotec languages | ||||||
| Religion | Polytheistic | ||||||
| Government | Hereditary monarchy | ||||||
| Monarch | |||||||
• 1328–1361 | Ozomatli | ||||||
• 1361–1386 | Huijatoo | ||||||
• 1386–1415 | Zaachila I | ||||||
• 1415–1454 | Zaachila II | ||||||
• 1454–1487 | Zaachila III | ||||||
• 1487–1521 | Cosijoeza | ||||||
• 1518–1563 | Cocijopij | ||||||
| Historical era | Pre-classic – Late post-classic | ||||||
• Fall of San José Mogote | c. 700 BCE | ||||||
• Conflict between Zapotecs and Mixtecs in the empire | 1519–1521 | ||||||
• Spanish Conquest | 1521 CE | ||||||
• Last Zapotec resistance | 1521–1563 | ||||||
| |||||||
| Today part of | Mexico • Oaxaca | ||||||
The Zapotec civilization (Be'ena'a (Zapotec) "The People"; c. 700 BC–1521 AD) is an indigenous pre-Columbian civilization that flourished in the Valley of Oaxaca in Mesoamerica. Archaeological evidence shows that their culture originated at least 2,500 years ago. The Zapotec archaeological site at the ancient city of Monte Albán has monumental buildings, ball courts, tombs and grave goods, including finely worked gold jewelry. Monte Albán was one of the first major cities in Mesoamerica. It was the center of a Zapotec state that dominated much of the territory which today is known as the Mexican state of Oaxaca.