The Book of Mormon abounds with lengthy descriptions of warfare, including goals of military leaders, types of weapons employed, and the specific tactics used in battle. When the Book of Mormon was published, experts claimed that wars did not play a significant role in the history of Mesoamerica. However, from data collected and studied in the last twenty-five to thirty years, we know that armed conflict was a major part of life in ancient Mesoamerica. The new scholarly consensus now matches the Book of Mormon’s record of frequent wars. (See Echoes, 292–296.)