Central America was home to diverse, powerful cultures. From 1200 BC, the Olmecs emerged and developed, building the great cities of Teotihuacan and Monte Alban. From 300 to 900 AD, another city-based culture, the Maya, flourished, but around 900 AD this sophisticated, literate civilization fell into decline, making way for the war-like Toltecs and Aztecs. The latter dominated much of Mexico until their demise at the hands of the Spanish conquerors, in 1521.
