Pompey's campaign against the pirates

Pompey's campaign against the pirates
Part of the wars of the Roman Republic
White bust
Bust of Pompey, copy of an original from 70–60 BC, Venice National Archaeological Museum
Date67 BC
Location
Anatolia, Crete and Aegean Sea
Result Roman victory
Belligerents
Roman Republic and Rhodes[1] Cilician pirates
Commanders and leaders
Pompey
Strength
270[2]/500[3] ships
120,000 soldiers[2][3]
4,000[2]/5,000[3] horsemen		 More than 1,000 ships[4]
Casualties and losses
377[5]/800 ships captured[6]
10,000 dead[5]
20,000 captured[7]
120 cities captured[5]

Pompey's campaign against the pirates represented the final phase of the Roman Republic's efforts to combat piracy in the eastern Mediterranean, which had been adversely affecting the eastern Roman provinces. This campaign was completed in approximately 40 days under the command of Pompey in 67 B.C.[1][8]

The pirates no longer sailed in small groups, but in large hosts, and they had their own commanders, who increased their fame [by their exploits]. They despoiled and plundered first of all those who sailed, not leaving them alone even in winter [...]; then also those who were in the ports. And if one dared to challenge them on the open sea, he was usually defeated and destroyed. If he then managed to beat them, he was unable to capture them, because of the speed of their ships. So the pirates would go right back and loot and burn not only villages and farms, but whole towns, while others made them allies, so much so that they wintered there and set up bases for new operations, as if it were a friendly country.

— Cassius Dio, Roman History, XXXVI, 21.1-3.
  1. ^ a b Florus, p. 7)
  2. ^ a b c Cite error: The named reference AppianoMitridatiche94 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ a b c Cite error: The named reference PlutarcoPompeo26.2 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference PlutarcoPompeo24.4-5 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ a b c Cite error: The named reference AppianoMitridatiche96 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference PlutarcoPompeo45.2 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference PlutarcoPompeo28.2 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ Livy, p. 99.2)