To the south the road traversed the ancient realm of the Chimus and then, after traversing the desert, ending at the silver mines in what is now Argentina.Suspension bridges interspersed along the way connected with forts and storehouses to form the sinews of the empire ,an empire owned by the supreme Inca (god/king), in much the same as had the emperor Augustus owned the Empire of Rome.

The Empire was ruled by a government designed to respond to the wishes of the Inca.This god like figure commanded four learned men , 'The Alyus', each individual responsible for the four corners of the compass ,a single entity responsible for all political, administrative, and religious matters whithin his sphere.Subject to these was the nobility, former common people who were, in return for performing a great deed beneficial to the Empire, given leadership roles ,thereby giving their family the chance of themselves becoming Orejons (nobles) as had the Roman Plebians and slaves . The contemporary Spanish Historian Carcilosa de la Vega called them Inca by privilege.

There was a severe military training period for those aspiring to leadership roles consisting of exams dealing with the speaking of Quechua, (the dominant language), religion, history, geography, land survey, and the reading of relief maps. The final exam consisted of a race up hill where upon reaching the top the candidates chose from a number of statuettes, animal or reptile, in order to be assigned an official name. Those coming in first had the greater choice, those coming in last the least,the falcon the most preferred name , the toad the least reminiscent of the Roman system where the name defined the persons clan and the name of emperor under whose rule he obtained citizen ship . An Inca name could incude ,as in the days of ancient Rome, a noble sufix equivilent, i.e. 'Africanus' as given to one of the Scipio brothers for defeating Hannibal at the battle of Zamma.

War like simulations followed beginning with drills where the candidates would stand sentry duty with no sleep for up to ten days.Sometimes spears were thrust at the eyes ,sometimes clubs whirled above heads,the candidates required to remain perfectly still through it all.Upon passing there was a testing of the candidate's skill in the use such weapons as the bow, the sling, the axe, and the spear.

The Inca Empire was founded in roughly 500AD with the settling of the Cuzco valley by the Mancos Capac dynasty, later to be consolidated by the Sinchi Rocco ,who expanded the empire.This empire was further consolidated by the actual person of Loque Yupanqui. His heir Maita Capac went on to crush the confederation of the Allbizas, the dominant power in the region ,and to then invade the shores of Lake Titicaca in the province of Colloa, descending,for the first time in Inca history , down the Cordillera to the shores of the Pacific. The dynasty of Capac Yupanqui went on to built suspension bridges across the Apurimen River allowing for more conquests in to what had been for eons off limits territory.

Surrounding the Inca were the warlike Chancos who compelled them join in their confederation as a matter of sheer survival.Additional bridges were thrown across the Desagladero River allowing these Cuzco based armies to penetrate into territory that is now present day Bolivia.

As in Roman Republican times when Roman legions were organized by there individual tribal characteristics (Hastatii, Princepes, Triarii), the armies of the Inca also organized his armies based upon the tribe .Each tribe was identified by their own distinctive national symbols and items of dress; each employing their own distinctive military tactics and weapons.

When an enemy force was contacted diplomatic overtures were made involving offers of integration into the Inca complete with promises of rewards for chiefs who took up the offer.Threats were issued for not joining ,in much the same way as during the reign of Julius Caesar up to that of Emperor Trajan . If the first offer was refused spies were sent out who would ascertain the strength and the disposition of the enemy and its allies'. Weak points were noted and attempts made to dislodge the enemies allies . Dis-information was spread regarding the strength and position of the Inca army units , rumours circulated forecasting bad omens and other magical circumstances ,all designed to sow doubt and foreboding into the ranks of the enemy.The second stage consisted of preliminary military actions against the lines of communications including the cutting off of reserve units and the interception the supply column.

Reasons for war can be broadly classified as:
A. The need for conquered territory as it would then send two thirds of its produce to the store houses which would be transported as needed to the provinces or to Cuzco
B. Plantations of cocoa plants taken by the Inca but for a small percentage left behind for the loyal chiefs.
C. The Inca appropriated male llamas but left them in the district from which they came, a portion given to a chief and his clansmen. (The killing of female llamas was forbidden).
D. Wild game became the property of the Inca, all private hunting prohibited, communal hunting allowed only at the discretion of the Inca.
E. All gold and silver mines within the conquered territory would become the property of the Inca, those under his domain responsible for the mining and the transporting of it to Cuzco.It was forbidden to move precious metals from Cuzco.
F. New provinces supplied soldiers who also partook in the wealth. The commoners benefited from the ability commandeer other provinces in the same way in which they had been commandeered

The tribes specializing in archery came the eastern forest, those in the wielding of the sling from mountainous regions.These two groups usually lead the attack in much the same way as would the lightly armed Velites and the Hastatii of Roman legions first seek out enemy and then probe for weak spots. After the initial attack there would be an attack in force by tribes equipped with such weapons as the etolicia, a metal hook having a line attached ,the line slithering through the hands of the thrower causing the weapon to assume a staight course and also allowing it to be easily retrieved.
An unusual weapon, at least from the point of view of a westerner, was the aylos ,(bolos in Spanish) consisting of a central rope to which were attached three smaller ropes ,these inturn attached to small metal balls .These werethrown in order to incapacitate as a prelude to in close melee featuring swords, axes, daggers and lances . As in Rome where tthe plumes of the centurions identified the Roman cohorts, so to did the headdress of a tribes captains multihued plumes identify the captains.

When battles occurred in was customary for them to be watched by uncommitted Indians encamped upon the nearby hills and when the victor appeared to be apparant, would go to their aid in order to loot the apparent loser, motr or less deciding the matter.

As territory was acquired the subjected tribes were moved about the countryside .Placed on the outskirts of the empire close to unfriendly tribes were tribes who were the most loyal, the 'Amitma'. Near the capital would be placed those most likely to rebel, the most despised of all classes, the 'Yanacunas' who in the past had rebelled and so made slaves. These people had no rights,were prohibited from carrying weapons,but as time passed an understanding usually come about leading to their pardon, and in some cases even to rehabilitation. The Roman equivilent would be the manumission of the slave status to that of the freedman.

The Inca empire at one time encompassed an area five times that of present day of France . Maize and other agricultural products was cultivated and then distributed to those whose needs were the greatest. Clothes and agricultural implements were held at large storehouses until ready to be moved; as would be weapons and military supplies . Such an organization needed an administrative system and as the Incas had no written language a device known as the 'quipus' ,a series of knots tied to multi-coloured ropes, each knot representing thousands ,hundreds,tens and single units , products, a paricular person, a religious event, an administrative task, or a military manoeuvre etc. Several quipus could be used at the same time.In order to understand the correct sequence of tying the knots set of songs was learned by the quipus reader at an early age . The penalty for fraud or a mistake in the tying of these knots was instantaneous death. A harsh penalty it would seem, but when considering the possibilities for dissater, understandable .

The key to the stability of the empire hinged upon the strategic roads and the fortified places. The Chumis tribes, although conquered by the Incas, were superior in the building of fortifications constructing a veritable Great Wall of China consisting of a series of small circular, and square forts blocking the coastal plains from the edge of the cordillera to the sea.These strongholds still exist in a ruined state in many parts of present day Peru. An example is the fortress of Parmunca situated upon a partly artificial hill carved into three terraces .On top are the ornamental temples and dwellings, their walls ornamented with coloured friezes of red and white set sixty feet above the surrounding plain. The intermediate terrace is 15-35 feet wide , two rooms on top containing red and yellow paintings. The whole structure forms a vast quadrilateral flanked at each angle by a forward bastion on the level of the lower terraces. Ramps run through narrow passages to join the platforms. Around the fortress is a wall nine to eighteen feet high ,with a parapet and pathways running around the top. About sixty feet from the main fortification there is an auxiliary fort situated upon a hillside. Further north on the Pacific shore there is a peak that was used as a look out point covering the sea the and inland view. As the Incas subdued the tribes they also occupied the fortifications thereby allowing for the construction of roads and bridges that further enlarged the empire.

One of the most famous Incas was the Prince Cursi who after throwing back the Chancos, was subject to an attempted assasination attempt by those who wanted to prevent his promotion. His bodyguard became aware of the plot and saved his life, Prince Cursi then leading a rebellion against Inca Unco.He was known to be debouched, lazy and vain ,and more importantly, treacherous,the record just about non-existent, as if attempting gloss over his legacy;in sharp contrast to the reign of Inca Cursi where great works were undertaken consisting of the building of roads and the conquest of additional territory,his reign noted for the general well being of the population.

As the Inca placated their environment and the messengers, inspectors, administrators travelled to and fro the average subject became much like one of the native llamas, dumb and docile, their only purpose to heed the call of an unseen shepherd .This state docile apathy had been often qouted as being the main cause of their defeat at the hands of the conquisqudor Pizzario along with the civil war which was occurring at the time of their landing