Between the 14th and 16th centuries, the Aztec empire ruled central Mexico, building an impressive kingdom that continues to fascinate scholars more than 500 years later. While it’s estimated that the Aztec nation grew to about 25 million people at the height of its domain, it’s often wondered how large the Aztec community would have grown had not so many been killed – not at the hands of its enemies, but at the hands of its own people.