Pre-modern army of Themiclesia

Organization

The organization of the pre-modern Themiclesian armies changed radically several times in history, and the loss of historical documentation means only a small part of their organization can be described in detail. Most often, only the superstructure of high-ranking military officers and civil officials concerned with war is given attention in official chronicles; however, through received and excavated literature, information regarding the detailed operations of the armies can be recovered. Some of these details remain controversial, as such literature is usually short and fragmentary; several contradictory interpretations may be forwarded to place each instance in the greater context.

Civil establishment

In the earliest period of Themiclesian statehood, prior to unification under the Tsjins Dynasty, warfare was most often conducted with a coalition of armed retainers between prominent, landed clans. These clans may have had professional military commanders that led the dozens or hundreds of retainers into battle. Being an armed retainer typically was a hereditary profession. Some such household troops were sufficiently famed as to be recorded in history and be integrated into the country's forces intact. Clan leaders, who governed their estates through management of finance and labour, rarely oversaw battles, which happened most often against raiding natives or other encroaching clans.

When the Tsjins Dynasty came to rule much of Themiclesia-proper, administrative power was concentrated in the Council of Correspondence, which consisted of a number of ministers, each of whom headed a department dealing with a policy area. The War Department was led by the Secretary of State for War (兵曹尚書 or 兵尚書). Though he had no direct control over any troops, all military decisions taken by the monarch were dispatched by him to the relevant commanders, and their submissions were read and annotated by him before reaching the monarch. He developed military policy, with reports from all military commanders and civilian officials concerned with strategic resources and recruitment of soldiers, converging to him. Thus, the Secretary of State for War controlled the maintenance and organization, and was the de facto commander, of all armed forces in the country. His power was checked by the application of the royal seal on edicts and the control on credentials, which were bamboo strips used to verify the authenticity of orders.

During the Tsjins Dynasty (226–421), the Secretary of State for War oversaw at least four Under-Secretaries—for Central Troops (中兵曹郎), for Regional Troops (外兵曹郎), and for Maps (虞曹郎). In the following Sungs (421–487) and Rjang Dynasties (487–542), his department grew to encompass at least three more subordinates, the Under-Secretaries of State for Cavalry (騎兵曹郎), Mercenaries (別兵曹郎), and Signals (都兵曹郎). The Under-Secretary of State for Mercenaries managed military policy and involvement in the affairs of native states in the northwest; these states were sometimes invited or compelled to furnish troops to the Themiclesian court for various campaigns. The Under-Secretary of State for Signals oversaw a large network of postal stations throughout on major routes, responsible for delivering urgent messages. These stations were staffed with a number of select horses and expert riders to ensure speed and secrecy; a number of them also offered food and lodge for civilian travellers.

In the Mrangs Dynasty (542–752), records become more abundant. By artificially inflating the cost of hiring armour producers, the Mrangs court was able to suppress the number of soldiers held by the landed aristocracy. This gave the Under-Secretary of State for Regional Troops much better control over the number and organization of soldiers in the prefectures, and consequentially this became the most powerful position, after the Secretary of State, in the War Department of the Council of Correspondence. In 615, an Under-Secretary of State for Naval Troops (水兵曹郎) was appointed, with jurisdiction over the inland-lake fleets that have been set up near modern-day Kraw-tju, in anticipation of campaigns against the Gramuchi people and the natives of the area, who were experienced mariners.

The Under-Secretaries of State for Central Troops, Regional Troops, Cavalry, Mercenaries, Signals, and Naval Troops make up the six traditional divisions of the War Department. After the 7th century, this arrangement largely stabilized and would remain, at least on a nomenclature level, constant until the 19th century.

Military establishment

This section follows the civilian division of responsibilities.

Central troops

The Under-Secretary of State of Central Troops controls three officers and the military establishment under them.

Marshal of the Capital

The Marshal of the Capital () is responsible for the defence of the capital city and the region surrounding it. The same area under civilian governance is called the Inner Administrative Region (畿內 or 內史), overseen by the Inner Administrator. It covers five prefectures and 175 counties. He leads four civilian officials and six military commanders. The four civilian officials are responsible for the security and order in the region, overseeing the store of weapons, the warding off of evil charms, the curfew on city gates, and the use of penal labour in various projects. The military commanders are of two species. Four train and quarter troops in one specialization—infantry, archery, cavalry, and chariotry—each, and two are mobile officers who take command of a combination of them on regular patrol circuits.

The size of the establishment led by the Marshal of the Capital varies from time to time. During the Tsjins Dynasty, it seems the office had few troops and functioned more as a superintendant of police forces, which has always been one of its peripheral functions. They were deployed when local government were unable to cope with more powerful bandit groups with their limited forces. During the Sungs, it seems little canged. However, during the Rjang, increased aggression against bordering populations lead to alliances in the Northwest Nations, which several times reached the capital city and laid siege to it. Larger amounts of troops were assigned to the Marshal of the Capital during this period, to repulse unexpected invasions. It is possible these are the very first formations permanently in combat positions. At the eve of the reforms of the 19th century, the Marshal of the Capital controlled over 20,000 troops.

Marshal of the Guards

See also: Left and Right Guard Regiments

The Marshal of the Guards () is responsible for the management of the palaces as defensive installations. In pre-modern times, all Themiclesian palaces, following Menghean traditions, are surrounded by thick, tall walls; they can be compared to Casaterran castles and serve as fortresses. His department consisted of several civilian and military officials. The first group of civilian officials each corresponding to an official palace. The foremost was the Hian-lang Palace in Kien-k'ang, and there are also the East Palace (inhabited by the Crown Prince), the Drjang-ngrakw Palace, the Drjang-snjins Palace, Mrjang-kwang Palace, and Kwji Palaces in Rak-lang, and the Rjakw-lang Palace and Pek Palace in Drjang-'an. There are 18 palaces with an appointed civilian official, and each maintained about a thousand guardsmen; at the Hian-lang Palace, this figure is doubled, since it is also the normal seat of the Council of Correspondence. The second group are roving and follow the Council of Correspondence; they are responsible for checking visitors to the palace for credentials and disarming them. They also receive letters from the public and deliver them to the Council. The military officers in each palace are under the control of their respective civilian officials.

Marshal of the Gentlemen-at-Arms

See also: Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms