Manatl Conflict (Guardians)

The Manatl War was a brief conflict in the Anahuac region between the Olmecs and Zapotecs and is noticeable for being the first known battle of Anahuac. Weakened by a series of intercity feuds and environmental pressures, the Olmecs had begun a decline that lasted over ten decades. Conversely, the rising Zapotecs had consolidated themselves and established a political system aimed at expansion and conquest. As the only other major power in the region that could possibly oppose them, the Olmecs were an obvious target for the Zapotec war machine. Putting aside their disagreements, the Olmecs organized a last ditch effort to oppose the Zapotec armies encroaching on their territory.

Zapotec records record a great victory for themselves that took little effort. Their annals simply state that the massive Zapotec force overwhelmed the Olmecs, which cowered and fled when the Zapotecs began to press against their flanks. While the bias of the source is obvious, there is no doubt that the Zapotecs won the battle, as confirmed by later Olmec sources and evidence. As a result, the Olmec cities were forced in vassalage to the Zapotec state, which continued to rise and politically dominate much of Anahuac for another few centuries.