Maya cities were the centres of population of the
pre-Columbian Maya civilization of
Mesoamerica. They served the specialised roles of administration,
commerce, manufacturing and
religion that characterised
ancient cities worldwide. Maya cities tended to be more dispersed than cities in other societies, even within Mesoamerica, as a result of adaptation to a lowland tropical environment that allowed food production amidst areas dedicated to other activities. They lacked the grid plans of the highland cities of central Mexico, such as
Teotihuacán and
Tenochtitlan.
Maya kings ruled their kingdoms from palaces that were situated within the centre of their cities. Cities tended to be located in places that controlled trade routes or that could supply essential products. This allowed the elites that controlled trade to increase their wealth and status. Such cities were able to construct temples for public ceremonies, thus attracting further inhabitants to the city. Those cities that had favourable conditions for food production, combined with access to trade routes were likely to develop into the capital cities of early Maya states.