History of Nautical Piracy

Pirates are sea robbers who prey on other ships and rob them of their goods and sometimes capture the ship itself for their own purposes. Piracy began over 2000 years ago in Ancient Greece, when sea robbers threatened the trading routes of the Greek Empire. Since then, this threat has continued amongst seafaring nations until the birth of regular navies. Roman ships were attacked by pirates who seized their cargoes of grain, and olive oil. The Vikings (which means sea-raider) were renowned for attacking shipping and coastal settlements. However, piracy really flourished between 1620 and 1720, and this period is known as the golden age of piracy. Between the sixteenth and nineteenth centuries, there have been different types of pirates, these being, privateers, buccaneers, and corsairs.

In ancient Greece where piracy originated, the coast along the mediterranian sea was unsuitable for agriculture causing the people to have to seek out a new source for food and other valuable goods. The answer lied in inlets riddled acrost the Greek coastline where groups of bandits would hide in dinghys and ambush posh ships traveling along the trade routes. These early marauders would attack anyone of any nationality, and owed loyalty to know one. Because of their roots in land raiding they were known to attack coastal greek citys as well, causing some of these towns to locate farther inland to eliminate the pirates main source of power, speed, do to the mountainous terrain. This caused the raiders to stay mostly involved with nautical affairs.

Throughout the centurys afterwards pirates terrorized much of the middle east and europe in countrys such as Scandinavia and Rome. Around 80 B.C. ports around Rome and Greece started catching on to the pira...

... middle of paper ...

... and Bartholomew Roberts were caught by the british navy and executed or killed in battle. Captain Chaloner Ogle of the HMS Swallow cornered Bartholomew Roberts in 1722 at Cape Lopez, and a fatal broadside from the Swallow killed the pirate captain instantly. This shocked all pirates as well as the navy as he was thought to be unkillable. That event started the crumbling of the "Golden Age of Piracy".

Since around the 19th century piracy has declined from great tales of grandeur and adventure, Instead turning to small dingys of african pirates holding up cargo ships in trade routes. In conclusion, although the golden age of piracy has come to an end, the legendary stories of famous, ruthless, and cunning pirates still live on in movies and books reminding us of times where you couldnt go out for a swim without being kidnapped or strung up to the yardarm of a ship!