[aluren]

Racism as we know it has only been a thing since the days of slave trade and colonization, probably as a way to rationalize it. The early day and medieval empires (Roman, Mongol, Inca, etc.) were very much not racist given how they had to federate many different populations and coerce them into living together.

It doesn't mean there weren't any in-group dynamics or discrimination though. Race simply wasn't the focus. People would discriminate based on things like religion instead.

[jki275]

What you are calling racism is just a form of tribalism, which is a normal human condition and has been since the beginning of known human existence.

Fortunately we don't have to stay at that level and can over come it to an extent, but claiming it wasn't a thing in medieval and other empires is factually incorrect.