Echoes of Classical antiquity and military aphorisms in the chroniclers of the Mexican conquest

Summary

This work analyzes not only the use of Classical antiquity sources present in American chronicles, especially those dedicated to the Mexican conquest, but also the appearance of a series of military aphorisms, that at its core were a show of a military ideology typically found during the transition between the Late Middle Ages and the Renaissance. This confirms how the figure of Hernán Cortés resembles the other great generals from the Classical world; all models of the “perfect general” and, at the same time, how he is ennobled since his conquest is considered unparalleled.