In the middle of the third millennium B.C. the first city-states of theocratic regime were founded. The Caral civilization, the oldest in the American continent, was contemporary with others like China, Egypt, India and Mesopotamia; having already become a city-state by that time, surrounded by other civilizations that are still called “village societies”. Thus, it is about one of the geographic zones that can be considered as the cradle of the civilization of the world for its antiquity (5,000 years old).

At the end of this period the Chavín culture prevailed over the others until its influence decayed and the development of larger states on the base of new local cultures like Mochica, Lima, Nazca, Wari and Tiwanaku was stimulated.


The Wari culture developed the classic model of the Andean State with the emergence of the cities of imperial court, a model that expanded through the north towards the eighth century. This culture,along with the Tiwanaquense, managed to prevail over the others until the end of the 8th century, from then, new imperial states of regional reach were erected throughout the Andes (like Chimú) with the development of States with greater territorial control. From these dominions, the one of the Incas stands out which, towards 15th century, annexed all the Andean towns between the rivers Maule and Ancasmayo, reaching an area of approximately 3 million km ², today located in the territories of Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Argentina and Chile, forming what today is known like the Inca Empire. Its capital was Cusco, located in the Peruvian highlands. In addition to its military power, they stood out in architecture by building wonderful structures like the city of Macchu Picchu.