ABSTRACT
One finds many examples of empires in the history of mankind, most of which were of short duration. A few managed to stay alive for a few centuries, for instance, the long-lived Ottoman Empire. Many empires went under only to be replaced by new ones – dynasties. In Central and South America a few empires emerged which have aroused much attention. Yet before them there were many other less well-known empires in this part of the world. Even though some empires flourished for some time, their inherent weaknesses proved destructive.
