Oxford University Is Older Than the Aztec Empire

The Numbers

Teaching at the University of Oxford began in some form around 1096 AD, and the institution developed rapidly after 1167 when English students were banned from the University of Paris. By 1249, the first Oxford college — University College — was officially founded.

The Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan was founded in 1325 AD, according to Aztec records. This means Oxford had already been operating as a centre of learning for over 229 years before the Aztec civilisation even established its capital city.

When Oxford awarded its first degrees, the Aztecs hadn't yet built a single pyramid.

Why Does This Feel Surprising?

We tend to think of universities as modern institutions. Meanwhile, pre-Columbian civilisations like the Aztecs feel ancient and distant. The reality is that medieval Europe had a flourishing intellectual culture at the same time as — and in many cases before — the great Mesoamerican empires rose to prominence.

Other Universities Even Older Than Oxford

Oxford isn't even the oldest. The University of Bologna in Italy was founded in 1088 AD, making it the oldest university in the Western world still in operation. And the University of al-Qarawiyyin in Fez, Morocco, founded in 859 AD, is considered by many historians to be the oldest continuously operating university in the world.