Final answer:
The statement regarding Lima as the center of Inca civilization is false; it was Cuzco that served as the heart of the Inca Empire, which eventually fell to the Spaniards who looted its wealth, contributing to Lima's richness.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that Lima was the center of Inca life and the home of its leaders is false. While Lima did emerge as one of the richest cities in the New World due to the wealth extracted from the Inca Empire and the Andes Mountains, it was not the center of Inca civilization.
The real heart of the Inca Empire was Cuzco, located in today's Peru. It was in Cuzco where the Sapa Inca (the ruler) resided and where major temples and government buildings stood. The Incas referred to their land as Tawantinsuyu, or 'the four regions,' and controlled a vast area from the Andes to the Pacific coast and parts of the Amazon rainforest.
The Inca Empire, established in the 15th century, became the largest empire in the world during its time.
However, following the arrival of the Spanish conquistadors, the last Inca ruler was forced to convert to Catholicism before being killed, and the empire's wealth, particularly in gold and silver, was looted and sent back to Spain. Lima's wealth during colonial times was thus largely built on these events, rather than being an ancient Incan city.