Q1Q Piracy in the Ancient World: from Minos to Mohammed Philip Charles de Souza University College Thesis submitted for the degree of Ph.D. in History 1992 ABSTRACT This thesis is an historical analysis of the phenomenon of piracy in the ancient world from the Bronze Age to the Arab conquests. It is based on detailed examination and discussion of the ancient sources. There is a short introduction (Part One) which establishes the scope of the enquiry, defmes the subject and surveys modern scholarly literature. Part Two (The Image of Ancient Piracy) consists of a study of the Greek and Latin vocabulary for piracy, and six separate studies of Classical literature, from Homer to the fourth century A.D. These studies analyze the development of the literary image of pirates and piracy, from the ambivalent attitude of the Homeric poems, to the wholly negative presentation of pirates and piracy found in the works of later writers. Part Three (War and Piracy) analyzes the early similarity between warfare and piracy, the gradual emergence of distinctions between the two, warfare as a promoter of piracy, and the involvement of pirates in warfare. Part Four (Trade and Piracy) is an analysis of the relationship between piracy and various forms of trade. The importance of piracy as both a contributor and a threat to long-distance maritime trade is analyzed, as well as the involvement of pirates in the slave trade. The link between trade and the suppression of piracy is also discussed. Part Five (The Suppression of Piracy) examines in detail attempts to suppress piracy from the Classical period to the end of the Roman Empire. Emphasis is laid upon the practical and political implications of suppression, and the relative ineffectiveness of most measures until the Late Republic and Early Principate, when piracy was suppressed with considerable success. There follows a brief statement of the general condusions (Part Six) and suggestions for further research. One map and a bibliography are included. 2 CONTENTS Preface p. 4 List of abbreviations p. 6 Part One Introduction p.13 Part Two The Image of Ancient Piracy p.25 Part Three War and Piracy p. 105 Part Four Trade and Piracy p. 179 Part Five The Suppression of Piracy p. 223 Appendix One p. 391 Appendix Two p. 400 Part Six Conclusions p. 401 Map of "Cificia" p. 403 Bibliography p. 404 3 Preface The idea of studying ancient piracy was first suggested to me by Susan Sherwin- White in 1985, when I was considering topics for an M.A. dissertation. I did not initially chce piracy, but circumstances forced me to abandon my first choice, and piracy seemed an attractive alternative. The resulting dissertation, "Piracy and Trade in the Ancient World", was submitted in September 1986 and a copy now resides somewhere in the University of London's storage facilities. I do not advise anyone to bother reading it. It is nearly six years since I completed that piece of work, and my ideas about piracy have been greatly transformed in the interim. In a large part that transformation has, of course, been the result of my own personal study of ancient sources and reading of modern scholarly works, but I have also benefited enormously from the advice, encouragement and assistance of many others. I take this opportunity to acknowledge my debts. Tim Cornell has been a kind, cheerful and patient supervisor of my work since 1985. If this thesis has much intellectual merit then it is largely thanks to him. John Carter was my first tutor in ancient history and has continued to be a source of inspiration and sound advice ever since. Parts of the thesis were also read by Michael Crawford, John Rich, Graham Shipley, and Paul Tweddle. Their comments and suggestions have beeen invaluable. Other scholars who discussed particular matters with me and/or generously provided off-prints of their work include Jean-Louis Ferrary, Maurizio Harrari, Paul Millett, Ellen Rice, Tony Spawforth, Hans van Wees, Michael Vickers and Hermann Wallinga. This is very much a London University thesis. I count myself fortunate to have been a postgraduate student of ancient history in the capital city. The atmosphere of mutual assistance and support provided by my fellow students has often sustained me in the face of numerous practical difficulties, and the opportunity to talk to other research students has improved my scholarly efforts. Thanks to Richard Aiston, Hugh Bowden, Margareta Debrunner, Kate Gilliver, Sophia Karasouli-Milobar, Christiane Kunst, Helen Lund, Karen Stears, Hans van Wees, and especially to Paul Tweddle. In addition, the opportunity to meet and speak to scholars from all over Britain and the World in the Institute of Classical Studies, and the Institute of Historical Research makes London a great place to work on ancient history. For two years of my research I was funded by a British Academy Major State Studentship, thereafter I was partly supported by work at the Institute of Historical Research, Royal Holloway and Bedford New College and the (now sadly defunct) Classics Department 4 of Leicester University. In the latter institution I was also fortunate to be among sympathetic and learned people, including Philip Beagon, Duncan Cloud, Nicola Hudson, Nonnan Postlethwaite, Graham Shipley and Greg Woolf. More recently I have been blessed with fine colleagues in the Classics Department of St. Mary's College, Strawberry Hill. David Bellingham, Marilynne Bromley, Stephen Instone, Susan Pattison and Margaret Williamson have supported my efforts to finish this project in many ways. No research can be done without good libraries. Thanks to David Ward and the staff of Royal Holloway and Bedford New College Library, to University College Library, University of London Library, Leicester University Library, Dr. Williams's Library, the British Library, the British School at Rome, the Warburg Institute, the institute of Historical Research, the Institute of Archaeology and, above all, the Joint Library of the Hellenic and Roman Societies and the Institute of Classical Studies. I have drawn on the practical assistance and moral support of many people. Thanks to Terry Lau, Naomi Summmer and Bob and Marion Cocksedge. My parents have helped in many ways over many years, as have my three sisters. Lastly I would like to thank Debra Birch for her help, without which I do not feel I could ever have finished this thesis. 5 LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS (Some very common abbreviations are omitted) A.A.A.H. Acta Antigua Academiae Scientiae Hungaricae. A.B.S.A. Annual of the British School of Archaeology at Athens. Ach. Tat Achilles Tathis, Klitophon and Leukippe. L'Année Epigraphigue. A.H.R. American Historical Review. A.J.A. American Journal of Archaeology. AJ.A.H. American Journal of Ancient History. A.I.P. American Journal of Philology. Alk. Alkiphron, Letters. Amm. Marc. Ammianus Marcell.inus, History. Anc. Hist. Bull Ancient History Bulletin. Andok Andokides. A.N.RW. Aufstie und Niedergan der römischen Welt. ed. H. Temporini (Berlin, 1972-) App. Appian: B.C. Civil Wars. Illyr. Illyrian Wars. Mith. Mithridatic Wars. Sic. Siciy and the islands. Syr. Syrian Wars. An. Perip. Arrian, Journey around the Black Sea A.S.N.P. Annali della Scuola Normale Superiore di Pisa. Athen. Athenalos, Dons at Dinner. Aug. de Civ. Dei St. Augustine, The City of God. Aur. Via Aurelius Victor, The Caesars. B.C.H. Bulletin de correspondance hellénique. Bulletin épigraphique (Contained in vols. of Revue des etudes greques). Caes. B.C. Caesar, The Civil Wars. B.H. The Spanish War. C.A.H. The Cambridge Ancient History. 6 Cass. Chron. Cassiodorus, Chronicle. Cic. Cicero: Ad Aft. Letters to Atticus (All letters of Cicero are cited according to their traditional division into books, and by the new numbering of D.R. Shackleton-Bailey's Cambridge editions, signified by S.-B.). ad fam. Letters to his Friends. Brut. Brutus. de Dom. On his house. dlv. in Caec. Divinatio against Caedlius. Flacc. On behalf of Flaccus. Font. On behalf of Fonteius. Imp. Pomp. On the Command of Cn. Pompeius. mv. On Rhetorical Invention. Leg. Laws. leg. agr. On the Agrarian Laws. Off. On Duties. Orat. On Oratory. Phil. Phffippic Orations. Pis. Against Piso. Planc. On behalf of Plandus. Post red. in sen. Oration to the Senate on his return. Prov. Con. On the Consular Provinces. Rab. perd. On behalf of Rabirius on the charge of treason. Rab. Post. On behalf of C. Rabirius Postumus. Rep. Republic. Rosc. Am. On behalf of Sex. Rosdus of Ameria. Tusc. Tusculan Disputations. I Verr. Verrine Orations (Actio Prima). II Verr. Verrine Orations (Actio Secunda). C.I.L. Corpus Inscriptionum Latinarum. Claud. Carm. Claudian, Poems. cos. consul. C.P. Classical Philology. CO, Classical Ouarterlv. 7 CR Classical Review. C.lThod. Clara Rhodos. Studi e materiali pubblicati a cura dell'instituto storico- arcgeologico di Rodi. C.S.C.A. California Studies in Classical Antiquity. Dem. Demosthenes (all works in the Dernosthenic corpus are referred to by the standard numbers of the Teubner edition). de vir. ill. De Viris Illustribus (Lives of famous men). D.H.A. Dialogues d'histoire andenne. Dig. Digest of Roman Law. Dio Cassius Dio, Roman 1-listojy. Dio Chrys. Dio Chrysostom, Orations. Diod. Diodorus Siculus, Universal History. D.O.P. Dumbarton Oaks Papers. Epic. Epictetos, Lectures. Eutr. Eutropius, Handbook of Roman History. F.Gr.Hist. Die Fragmente der griechischen Historiicc, ed. F. Jacoby (Berlin, 1923-58). F.H.G. Fragmenta Historicorum Graecorum. ed. C.MUller (1841-85). fr. fragment Front Strat. Frontinus, Stratagems. G.R Greece and Rome. G.RB.S. Greek, Roman and Byzantine Studies. G.V.I. Griechische Versinschriften voL I, ed. W. Peek (Berlin, 1955). Heliod. Heliodoros, An Ethiopian Tale.