Fall of the Maya

The Guatemalan island of Flores, once known as Nojpetén, witnessed the final clash between Spanish conquistadors and the last independent Maya kingdom on March 13th, 1697. 

The Itza warriors, equipped with ornate spears and swords, fought valiantly to defend their homeland; but Spanish firepower ultimately overwhelmed them, leading to heavy casualties and the retreat of many defenders. 

In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly explain how the fall of Nojpetén marked the end of an era for the Maya people, but not their actual end; consider how foreign diseases like smallpox and typhoid were imported by the Spanish; and reveal how many languages still spoken today stem from this ancient civilisation… 

Further Reading:

• ‘Who were the Maya? Decoding the ancient civilization's secrets’ (National Geographic, 2022): https://www.nationalgeographic.com/history/article/who-were-the-maya

• ‘Ancient History in depth: The Fall of the Mayan Civilisation’ (BBC History, 2011): https://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/cultures/maya_01.shtml

‘The Maya People’ (SmithsonianNMAI, 2012): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=86F10IrvVus

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The Retrospectors are Olly Mann, Rebecca Messina & Arion McNicoll, with Matt Hill.
Theme Music: Pass The Peas. Announcer: Bob Ravelli. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Edit Producer: Ollie Peart.
Copyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2026.

This episode originally aired in 2024.

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