Thracium

Thracium was a Thracine state in the Balkans in VoidViper's Alternative History of Europe. It was established in 13 AD. Other Thracine states, Spartic, Aruz, Thessa, Thrakonia, Bursa, Chitoria joined together as Thrace. Following the Battle of Thenatople, Thrace joined Thracium when Thracium was victorious against the Warlords. Since then, Thracium is a dominating power in the Balkans and Anatolia. Anyone who is a citizen or a soldier of Thracium is considered a Thracine.

Rise of Thracium
Thracium was established in 13 AD. It was peaceful and was more focused on building the nation. Later, Thracium developed trade with Bursa. Thracism soon adopted Thracism in 19 AD;however in 27 AD, the Warlords threatened a Thracine states and Thracism itself. Thracium was forced to prepare for a war but they were inexperience. Thus, the Warlords had no problem pushing into Anatolia and bordering Bursa. Thracium refused to join Thrace because they were uncomfortable with the idea of merging nations.

Thracium - Warlords War
Thracium entered the war alongside with Thracian States, Thrace, and the Myrons in 43 AD. Thracium were unable to hold off the heavy cavalry of the Warlords and they suffered a major loss at the Battle of Bursa in 43 AD. At the Battle of Nicaea in 44 AD, Thracium suffered another major loss as they were inexperienced with dealing with Siege Weapons. Thus, Bursa had lost its independence.

After the Warlords kicked the Thracines out of Anatolia in 45 AD, the Warlords made large offenses in 46 AD and entered Europe. Thracium did not know how to deal with the wooden ships of the Warlords; thus, Thracium was forced to retreat to their capital, Thenatople.

Because Thracium abandoned their grounds, the Warlords had no problem advancing into Greece, killing many innocent lives.

Battle of Thenatople
The Battle of Thenatople was a significant event. During the first battle in 49 AD, Warlords' siege weapons failed to penetrate the eight layers of walls in Thenatople. An another attempt to siege the city in 50 AD also resulted in Thracium victory. In 51 AD, the Myrons dropped out of the war and left Thenatople. Thracium was not happy about the Myrons deserting them. After the Myrons dropped out, an another attempt to siege the city occured but resulted in Thracium victory. During these battles, the Thracines of Thracium learned a lot about the Warlords' tactics and decided to look for weaknesses. After spotting the weaknesses, Thracium knew how to beat the Warlords easily.

Reuniting Thrace
As the Thracines of Thracium were trapped in their city, the Warlords already overan all Thracine states. Only the city of Chitrace was standing which was located in Italy. Thracium knew they are the Thracine's last hope and they did not give up courage. Using their strategies to outsmart the Warlords' armies, they were able to reunite Thrace. This resulted in Thracine States to join Thracium. An armistice was signed between Warlords and Thracium in 58 AD.

Second Thracium - Warlords War
The war resumed in 71 AD. The Warlords were no match for the tactics of Thracium. Thus, many Anatolian cities were conquered by Thracium.In 83 AD, Thracium decided to take a break and started to setup some traps. They wanted the Warlords to fall right into their trap but the Warlord cowardly did not and asked for help from nations that follow Saharism. Thracium became impatient and resumed attacking. When they did, they managed to convince Yobalt to switch sides. Thracium was also helping Beltaine rebel against the Warlords. At the Battle of Mistfan, the Warlords were collapsed into several Warlords States. Thracium  was also able to liberate the city of Lerick and Xerion. Thracium convinced Yobalt and Beltaine to convert to Thracism after the war.

Invasion of the Myrons Tribes
After the Thracium - Warlords War in 87 AD, the Thracines decided to invade the Myrons who deserted them during the first Thracium - Warlords War. In 88 AD, a large fleet led by a brillant naval general was deployed from Thenatople. The fleet was divided into several fleets and each were given a specific location to land on. In just 7 quick battles, the Myrons were defeated. Many of the children and women were taken by the Thracines while a majority of the Myrons  fled West into Moldavia.

War of the Religious Middle East
In response to the requested defense of Assetyria in 97 AD, Thracium joined the war alongside with Beltaine, and Yobalt. Thracium and Beltaine were doing a good job pushing the desert people back. Their objective was to free the city of Assetyria from the pressure of the desert people. All was going well until Beltaine abandoned the campaign due to a surprise attack from Harpia in Central Asia in 104 AD. At first, Thracium accepted it but it did not go well when the other nations that follow Saharism. Thracium knew that were no match for a strong navy power in Iberia, Malev. Therefore, Yobalt was overrun by desert people and Thracium was forced to sign a treaty in 113 AD. This treaty removed the independence of Yobalt and Thracium was forced to recognize Jahaia .After the war, Thracium started considering changing the order of their armies.

Religion
The majority of the population in Western Anatolia and the Balkans are very loyal to Thracism. Every February 26th in Thenatople, there is always a festival to celebrate the founder of the religion, Thracism. In Thracon, there will always be a forgivable visit to a special graveyard where the founder was buried. In the churches, there will be a band playing a Thracism music using wooden instruments. In Bursa, civilians would be allowed on the walls as long as they don't break anything. In Anople, people started constructing different styles of statues as a way to worship their god.

In Eastern Anatolia, in Lerick, the people of Tritina who were also close to the Thracines would also host a festival in the churches. The people of Tritina were once an independent nation in North Eastern Anatolia before the Warlords invaded. Ever since Tritina adopted Thracism, they would soon plan to build a city in their home land.

However, in cities such as Xerion, Mistfan, Alao, and Jamu, the people there aren't loyal to Thracism as they have traces of the Warlords ancestors. The churches in those cities are one of the least attended ones.

Ground Power
Thracium mostly uses Phalanx troops in Europe and Western Anatolia followed by Hypaspists. Thracium does not see any major threats in the West and therefore, many of their armies are scattered. Though if a war begins, the emperor of Thracium will send out their trusted commanders to form a well organized army in Thenatople against any threat in the West. During the Thracium - Warlords War, the Phalanx troops played a significant role in handling the Warlords.

In Eastern Anatolia, many of the armies there adapted to the Warlords fighting style due to the large amount of traces of Warlords Ancestors. Although they fight under the banner of Thracium, many of them forms a shield wall with archers behind them. This enables the Thracines Archers to kill any opponent charging at the shield war. If this line falls, a backup line of lightly armed spearmen would assault the opponent.The main city of Eastern Anatolia is Lerick but it was soon to be transfered to a new city being built in Tritina.

Sea Power
Thracium's center of power in navy wars is in Thenatople. Thenatople is also a great city for trading with other nations such as Treorgia. Trading with Yobalt by sea was used more often than by sending a pack horse from Anatolia into Yobalt until Yobalt came under control of Jahaia. During the War of the Religious Middle East, many cargo ships was sunk by Malev. This encouraged Thracium to start designing new types of ships in order to defeat Malev, a navy power of the Mediterranean Sea.

For defense, Thracium would use suicidal ships in which the ships would charge at the enemy ships. The archers will shoot at the wooden suicidal ships with lighted arrows to set it on fire.

For offensive attacks, Thracium does not have any useful strategies. If any fleet is under attacked by an enemy fleet, Thracium will not have a clue what to do. This is why Thracium does not use navy in major wars.

Province Maps
The first map was drawn in 124 AD.