If you asked the many trick-or-treaters dressed up as buccaneers or Jack Sparrows on your doorsteps last Halloween what a pirate is, what do you think will be their answer? The most probable responses would have something to do with the film trilogy, “Pirates of the Caribbean.” But what are pirates anyway? Did they really do all those stuff shown in the movies? Are they as funny and witty as Jack Sparrow and as suave and handsome as Will Turner?
Some of them maybe funny, witty, suave or handsome but most of them were as ruthless as Hector Barbossa in the “Pirates” film trilogy. Pirates have been around since the first water vessels sailed out to trade with other merchants across the seas dating back to the time of the ancient Egyptians. The earliest evidence of piracy during ancient times was found in an Egyptian clay tablet inscription from the time of Pharaoh Akhenaton in 14th century BC which told about how pirates often attacked the waters off the coast of Egypt. Ancient Greeks and Romans also had written records of pirates capturing other vessels and pillaging different cities.
However, there were Greek merchants trading with ports in Phoenicia and Anatolia who occasionally resolved to piracy as a by-product of trading. One of the most notorious was Polycrates, a Greek tyrant who seized control of the city of Samos during a celebration of a festival of Hera outside the city walls. He had ships from his 100-vessel fleet committed acts of piracy throughout Greece. Subsequently, piracy became common with ships sailing near the coast as easy targets. Lipari Islands became the Greek’s pirate base for over 2500 years while Istria was Rome’s.
The Roman Empire era saw the continuation of piracy that greatly affected their commerce and was quietly encouraged by some corrupt senators. They benefited from the steady supply of slaves that came from plundered ships and ports. They also earned from the high profits gained from the grain industry which experienced constant states of upheaval brought about by pirates. They also constantly raised price and padded their pockets through this business.
The Roman senators’ quiet support to piracy resulted to Rome’s unwillingness to protect and support its provinces from pirates. Thus, the weaker cities around the Mediterranean area resolved to make allies with pirate gangs by paying them tribute in exchange for keeping their cities and ports safe and intact from other pillagers. This helped the pirates continue with their business which made them more powerful even forming a mafia of sorts that controlled their turfs.
It was only during the 70s BC that Roman’s addressed their problems with the pirates who plundered their seas and lands worse than ever. It took Pompey, the great Roman general and statesman to solve the pirate problems in the Mediterranean. Since then piracy was curbed especially when the Romans conquered Illyria and pirates were not able to sail the seas until more than 300 years after.
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