Poslije oslobođenja od vlasti Venecije 1358. g. i dolaskom pod zaštitu ugarsko-hrvatskih kraljeva Dubrovnik je postao samostalna država. Posjedovao je sve atribute vlasti u unutrašnjem i u vanjskom smislu. Jedan od atributa te vlasti dubrovačke države — Republike bila je i potpuno samostalna organizacija obrane njezina državnog područja. Dubrovnik je bila mala država i po veličini i po broju stanovnika. Njegov je teritorij bio slabo zaštićen. Zbog toga je bio prisiljen braniti svoj integritet vještom diplomacijom i neutralnim međunarodnim položajem. Dubrovčani su uvijek formalno priznavali vrhovnu vlast najjače sile u svom susjedstvu, ali su zahvaljujući svojoj vještoj diplomaciji uvijek znali izbjeći da se taj formalni suverenitet ne pretvori u stalni. Dubrovnik se kao mala, nezavisna država na granici dvaju svjetova, zapadnog kršćanskog i istočnog koji se nalazio pod turskom dominacijom, kao država koju su podržavale obje strane, zadržao i očuvao četiri i pol stoljeća zahvaljujući ne samo svojemu geografskom položaju nego i elastičnosti dubrovačke vlade u prilagođivanju momentalnim ekonomskim i političkim prilikama, uz istovremenu zaštitu drugih država.The State of Dubrovnik saved its independence over four centuries owing it not to its army but the geographic position as well as to the flexibility of its government to accommodate to the economic and political situation in the Balkans and the Mediterranean. That international position of Dubrovnik reflected to its military establishment used exclusively in defensive purposes. Therefore the army was necessary only for the guarding at the strategically important posts of the city and the state, for watching its frontiers and the maintenance of the internal peace.
The organization of the army in Dubrovnik was carried out the way that all grown-up men in the age from twenty to sixty were conscripts when necessary, while the members of memorial families were commanders only. Dubrovnik State didn’t have its regular army consisted of all conscripts, but its army composed of stable paid soldiers (paid outlandish soldiers-barabanti) and bombers (paid gunners). Upon that, according to the needs, there were temporary recruited paid soldiers (police) for regular and occassional safety guard. However, in case of a danger, all capable men were called out and remained there till the danger was over. The number of stable paid soldiers changed according to the occassions, needs and dangers that would threaten.
On account of easier and better management and the control of population the whole state territory was devided into principalities and captaincies.
Since the State of Dubrovnik had neither its regular steady army nor its permanent navy, it kept on providing its state-owned galleys and the other smaller ships with arms for the fighting with pirates. These armed ships were placed in Large and Small Arsenal of the city harbour as well as in the Arsenal of Mali Ston
