The famous Aztec people from the pre-Columbian period is the Central American people in Mexico. They called themselves Mexica, according to which today's central American state is named, as well as the capital. Their religion rested on the worship of many gods, the most important of which was the god of the sun Huitzilopochtli, also the god of war. They believed that their "good" gods, who protect them, should remain strong, and for this purpose their priests sacrificed people, as well as the blood-letting.