Kingdom of Parita
Kingdom of Parita | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 550?-1522 | |||||||||
| Status | Kingdom | ||||||||
| Capital | Parita | ||||||||
| Ethnic groups | Coclé | ||||||||
| Government | Monarchy | ||||||||
| Queví | |||||||||
• 1460?-1519 | Antataura | ||||||||
| Historical era | Pre-Columbian | ||||||||
• Established | 550? | ||||||||
| |||||||||
| Today part of | Panama | ||||||||
The Kingdom of Parita, also known as Paris, or the Cacicazgo/Chiefdom of Parita was a pre-Columbian political entity in modern-day Panama. At the time of Spanish contact, Parita was ruled by Antataura who was also known as Parita or Paris.
Parita's homeland was along the Rio Parita and Rio La Villa, which gave the settlement of Parita access to various aquatic resources and salt flats. The valleys near these rivers were vast savannas. Most of ancient Panama was an open savanna instead of the jungles of the modern day. These savannas were full of game that the people of Parita hunted. These savannas also offered land that was suitable for growing maize and cassava.
Parita's enemy to the north, Escoria (who was Antataura's brother-in-law), was in a constant state of war with Parita and there were often battles between the two. Parita, despite having the military benefits of its conquered territories was still occasionally defeated by the armies of Escoria.