It sounds impossible, but students were already taking classes at Oxford hundreds of years before the Aztecs even started building their famous empire!
When we think of the Aztecs, we think of ancient history and mysterious ruins. When we think of Oxford University, we think of a modern place for students. But if you look at a timeline, Oxford has been around much longer!
Teaching at Oxford started as early as 1096. By the year 1249, it had already grown into a full university with organized buildings and housing for students.
On the other side of the world, the Aztec Empire didn't even start until much later. The Aztecs founded their great city, Tenochtitlan, in the year 1325. This means that by the time the very first Aztec stone was laid for their capital, Oxford University had already been teaching students for over 200 years!
We often put "ancient civilizations" like the Aztecs in a different part of our brain than "modern institutions" like universities. The Aztecs lived in a way that seems very ancient to us, while Oxford is still a functioning school today. But the reality is that the "ancient" Aztecs are actually more modern than the "modern" Oxford!
The Aztec Empire lasted until 1521 (about 200 years total) before it was conquered by the Spanish. Oxford, however, is still going strong today, almost 1,000 years after it started. It has survived wars, plagues, and the rise and fall of many empires.
Oxford University started teaching in 1096, while the Aztec Empire began in 1325. Oxford is more than 200 years older than the civilization that built the famous Mexican pyramids. It is a living piece of history that is still in use today!
