Pompey and the Pirates
By the first century BC, Rome had managed to establish itself as the uncontested master of the Mediterranean - controlling the sea from Spain (Hispania) to the Aegean and beyond. Although Roman military might had successfully fought its way through all challengers, Rome faced a very different proposition when it came to that of its latest challenge in the 60s BC - piracy. Piracy in the Roman World Piracy was nothing new to the Romans. Pirates had remained a constant threat in the Mediterranean throughout various points in history - disrupting trade, taking slaves and holding prominent prisoners for ransom. However, in the 2nd century BC, Roman conquest in the eastern Mediterranean had left a power vacuum that pirates were able to exploit and subsequently expand their operations. The conquest of Rhodes by Rome, a state that had previously acted as a counter to piracy in the region, had allowed piracy to pick up pace during this period. In particular, Cilicia (in modern day ...