Ancient Pirates! - Historum

**markdienekes** · July 25th, 2011, 07:56 AM

I've just been reading about the problems the Roman Republic faced with pirates until their eventual defeat by Pompey, and it has captured the imagination somewhat. With pirates filling the power vacuum in the east left in the wake of the Romans who had hamstrung regional powers and avoided getting directly involved in administration, the pirates brought in a protection racket getting towns to pay tribute while others offered them harbours to operate from. They even captured some important historical figures like Caesar, and others like Clodius Pulcher whilst directly insulting the dignity and honour of Rome. They prevented supplies of food reaching Italy, and even sailed to Ostia and burnt a Roman fleet at harbour there!

I was wondering, were there any particular figures/captains that stood out in Ancient history for being a pirate, and if you know of any good material to read on ancient pirates, including a detailed account of Pompey's defeat of them, or any information at all really!

Yaunâ · July 25th, 2011, 08:07 AM

Pharaoh Psammetichus I hired Ionian and Carian pirates as mecrenaries that forced to land in Egypt by storm in 7th century BC according to Herodotus.

**Clodius** · July 25th, 2011, 08:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by markdienekes

I've just been reading about the problems the Roman Republic faced with pirates until their eventual defeat by Pompey, and it has captured the imagination somewhat. With pirates filling the power vacuum in the east left in the wake of the Romans who had hamstrung regional powers and avoided getting directly involved in administration, the pirates brought in a protection racket getting towns to pay tribute while others offered them harbours to operate from. They even captured some important historical figures like Caesar, and others like Clodius Pulcher whilst directly insulting the dignity and honour of Rome. They prevented supplies of food reaching Italy, and even sailed to Ostia and burnt a Roman fleet at harbour there!

I was wondering, were there any particular figures/captains that stood out in Ancient history for being a pirate, and if you know of any good material to read on ancient pirates, including a detailed account of Pompey's defeat of them, or any information at all really!

Pompey's solution may have curtailed the problem of Mediterranean piracy, but it didn't solve it for good. One of the (many) interesting ironies of late Republican politics is that Pompey's own son, Sextus, ended up as effectively the leader of a pirate band!

**okamido** · July 25th, 2011, 09:04 AM

Aristobulus was also accused of organizing Judaean piracy at sea.
Jewish Antiquities 14.43

Widdekind · July 25th, 2011, 04:27 PM

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The Illyrians were predominately shepherds, hunters, and warriors by profession. Their "national pasttime" however, was maritime piracy, particularly along the Italian coasts. The Roman Republic fought no less than three wars to reduce Illyrian piracy. With the conclusion of the last of these wars in 168 BC, Illyria effectively fell under Roman domination, and quietly remained so for the better part of two centuries.(Other 9 AD)

At that time, Rome was waging war with Greece. And, when:

Quote:

Greek city-states went to war... Greek leaders encouraged pirates to attack enemy ships... deliberately using pirates to harm their enemies (Butterfield. Pirates & Smugglers, p.9).

Indeed, there was little distinction between "piracy & war", with raids seen as reprisals, "the custom of retaliating against enemy attacks, w/o actually declaring war" ([DK Eyewitness] Pirates, p.8). Thus, Illyrian pirates may have been bribed, by Greece, to harass Rome, at sea -- even as, 600 years later, eastern emperor Theodosius II, seeking separation from the west, (supposedly) bribed bordering barbarians to raid Rome, on land (Sign of the Pagan DVD).