| Pirates are sea brigands. The word “Pirate” (L. pirata) originates from Greek root word of: peira, which means to attempt, to try. Ultimately, meaning of the word is “to find luck on the sea”. Etymology shows that the difference between a sailor and a pirate is very vague from the very beginning. Captain of the pirates was called “archipirata”.
This word had become traditional approximately in IV-III B.C., and before that “Leistes” was used, this is even known to Homer and the word is closely pertinent to robbery, murder and booty.
Ancient piracy: Piracy in its primitive form - sea-raids started happening simultaneously with navigation and before maritime trade too; this had been the occupation of coastal tribes, who knew fundamentals of navigation. With the advent of civilization, the edge between a pirate and a trader for a long time continues to be provisional: seamen traded wherever they felt not strong enough to rob and taken for prisoners. Especially, most
ill-famed in this connection were also the most subtle traders of the ancient world, i.e. the Phoenicians.
In “Odyssey” mentioned were the Phoenician pirates, who abducted people from
Sir Island and sold them as slaves. Ancient pirates, unlike pirates of the New times, attacked just not only ships but also coastal villages and stray wayfarers, in order to capture them and sell as slaves (later pirates started demanding ransom for rich hostages). Piracy was reflected in ancient poetry and mythology (myth about Dionysus’s abduction by Tyrrhenian (Etruscan) pirates, described in Homer’s hymn and Ovid’s “Metamorphosis”, and also in several episodes of Homer’s poems).
With the development of trade and legal affairs among countries and people, piracy had become admitted as most grave crime, and considerable joint efforts are being taken to combat this menace. Prosperity of ancient piracy comes in the times of anarchy triggered by civil wars in Rome, moreover hilly area of Cilicia with its fortresses and islands like Crete served as home for pirates. Roman piracy particularly bloomed after Mithridates the Great (Megas) or Mithridates VI associated with Cilician pirates against Rome. In those times among victims of pirates, for instance, was young Julius Caesar. Pirates were so impudent that they attacked even Roman port-Ostia Antica, and once pirates even captured two praetors together with retinue and in full regalia.
In 67 B.C., Pompey, invested with powers to fight with pirates, and provided with a fleet of 500 ships, divided Mediterranean Sea into 30 regions. Pompey sent a squadron to each area, and drove pirates into mountain fortresses of Cilicia, which later he got hold of. Within three months, piracy in Mediterranean was fully wiped out. Piracy again resumed with next wave of civil wars, but this time pirates were led by son of Pompey, Sext Pompey, who after killing of Caesar, stood firm in Sicily and attempted to blockade Italy.
With the end of civil wars sea had become safe.
In Rome, pirates were put to death, as it was with brigands, by crucifixion. |
This Wednesday, September 19, is the "International Talk Like a Pirate Day." 'Celebrations' of this Day started 1995 by John Baur ("Ol' Chumbucket") and Mark Summers ("Cap'n Slappy"), of the United States, who declared that on this day everyone should talk like a true pirate. The parodic tradition caught on and turned into a yearly holiday, to the great joy of the pirate fans all over the world. So remember when you see your co-worker or a boss today, instead of usual "Hello" greet them with "Ahoy, me hearty!"
