Blood and Gold (with Dan Snow)
Cautionary Tales with Tim Harford
00:00
A Sophisticated but Vulnerable Empire
The Inca empire was a highly sophisticated civilization with an expansive empire, a complex road network, but lacking a written language and essential tools like gunpowder weapons and horses. Despite their impressive infrastructure, they were in a state of crisis due to a civil war, succession difficulties, and the devastating impact of diseases like smallpox causing high mortality rates. The arrival of Europeans further complicated their situation as they lacked the military resources to effectively resist the invaders.
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