A Brief History of Piracy Volume 1

Piracy has struck fear into the hearts of maritime workers since time immemorial.  So long as there have been ships at sea carrying cargo worth plundering, pirates have been there to seize it.   Although etymology would suggest the term historically refers to robbery on the high sea, there are many breeds and generations of pirate.

It would be impossible to talk about pirates without mentioning the quintessential parrot-on-shoulder, shiver me timbers, rum-swilling Caribbean pirate of the mid 1600-1800s that everyone knows, and some inexplicably love.  Although they did somehow edge out their successors and predecessors in fame (or infamy), the Caribbean pirates were only a small, albeit memorable generation of a much larger dynasty of piracy.

Pirates have existed for millennia, and if history is an indication of things to come, they will continue to rob, kidnap, and drink well into the future—probably even into space.  For today’s oceangoing public to better understand and mitigate the threat of the pirates, it might help to better understand the history of piracy.

Some earlier mentions of pirates date back thousands of years to the Mediterranean Sea in 1400 B.C., when vessels were attacked by cutlass-wielding bandits.  Illyrian pirates caused trouble even for the mighty Roman Empire, until Illyria was finally conquered in the second century B.C.  Julius Caesar himself was once captured by Cilician pirates and held for ransom.  Of course, in a Ceasar-ly fashion he demanded his ransom be raised.  Once the higher ransom was paid and he was released, Caesar hunted down the pirates that captured him, defeated them, and had them all executed.  So the story goes, anyhow.

During the middle ages, Vikings ruled the high seas.  Their reach was particularly impressive for the time period in which they lived.  Coastal villages and ships across Europe cowered in fear at the thought of a Viking ship approaching.  Even distant Northern Africa was not safe.  The Viking pirate legacy lived on for generations, and despite their lengthy pirate tenure and massive territorial expanse, they were still only one more chapter in the book of Arrrg.

In modern times, ocean-going pirates are still prevalent, hijacking vessels and generally terrorizing the seafaring public.  In fact, piracy is just as alive, perhaps even more alive today than it was in its supposed heyday of the 1700s.  According to an article in Foreign Affairs, in the last decade, pirate attacks on oceangoing vessels have increased threefold to make piracy more prevalent today than it has ever been in recorded history.  For those who make their living from transporting goods across oceans and seas, this is not something to take lightly.  Not everyone has the means or the nerve to take the Julius Caesar approach to a pirate attack, so knowledge and preparation are key.  Keep checking back here for more pirate knowledge and keep your eyes peeled for the Jolly Roger.