World History I

Chapter 6: Chiefdoms and Early States in Africa and the Americas
600 BCE-600 CE

30: Mon, Dec 8, 2025

Please post in the forum for the day a short essay in response to this question:

In Nubia and in the Yucatán, kingdoms arose which lasted for centuries before economic decline overtook them. During the height of each culture, people built temples and tombs to honor kings.

Consider the two relief sculptures below, one from each culture. Do the sculptures embody or reflect any of the categories of power we have identified (vis, potestas, auctoritas, imperium, ius, licentia)? What symbols, gestures, apparel, or other elements of the picture support these images of power? Which elements are common to both cultures? Are any elements unique?

• Nubia/Kush (Meroë): Nubian King
• Mayan Temple: Mayan Ruler

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