The Mediterranean Sea used to be filled with pirates who terrorized not only Ancient Greece but Rome as well.
Long before the Pirates of the Caribbean, the Seas of Europe were filled with pirates whose ambitions rivaled empires—and whose stories still fascinate those who read them.
Their boldness transcended mere piracy. From tyrant kings to mercenary admirals, these individuals left a lasting legacy for centuries.
Polycrates of Samos: The pirate King of ancient Greece
Ancient Greece’s pirates didn’t just raid ships—they conquered cities. Polycrates was a 6th-century BC tyrant of Samos who had a great appetite for plunder. He terrorized the Aegean Sea and the inhabitants of the neighboring islands with a fleet of 100 pentekonters, plundering villages, towns, and cities along the Greek coast and the coast of Asia Minor.
Herodotus mentioned him, praising his naval mastery. He even noted that he “harried all men alike” while transforming Samos into a maritime superpower.
His downfall? A Persian satrap’s golden trap: lured by promises of wealth, he was crucified, bringing an unceremonious end to his legendary life.
Histiaeus of Miletus
Histiaeus was a tyrant by day who turned into a pirate by necessity. He was a very smart man who played both sides in the Persian-Greek wars, depending on what was more beneficial for him at the time.
After aiding Darius I with the Scythian campaign, he secretly orchestrated the Ionian Revolt in 499 BC to reclaim his power. He managed to fund all these operations by conducting raids on Persian supply lines.
Dionysius the Phocaean
After the disastrous Battle of Lade in 494 BC, Dionysius converted his three remaining ships into a rogue anti-Persian task force, tasked with destroying as many Persian targets as possible.
Targeting only Phoenician and Etruscan vessels, he waged a one-man pirate war against ancient Greece’s most formidable enemies. This earned him the reputation of being a pirate with principles.
Aristonicus of Methymna: The Lesbos tyrant who betrayed Alexander
Ruling Lesbos in the 4th century BC, Aristonicus had an evil plan. He allied with Persia to resist Macedonian expansion and stop Alexander the Great and his mighty army from conquering the Eastern Aegean and the western coast of Asia Minor.
When Alexander’s admiral Hegelochus stormed Methymna on Lesbos, Aristonicus and his reign ended gruesomely. The pirate was tortured and executed by his own people for the disasters he brought to their land.
Ameinias the Phocian
This 3rd-century BC mercenary and pirate switched careers to serve Antigonus II of Macedon, one of Alexander the Great’s successors following his premature death.
Using a crew of Aetolian pirates, Ameinias infiltrated Cassandreia by pretending to be bringing a peace deal.
Right after that, he unleashed 2,000 soldiers to sack the city.
Demetrius of Pharos
Demetrius was a ruler of Pharos (modern-day Hvar in Croatia) who participated in the First Illyrian War and subsequently governed part of the Illyrian Adriatic coast as a client king, operating under Roman authority.
Demetrius turned piracy into a geopolitical tool. After the First Illyrian War, he exploited the tensions between Rome and Macedon, raiding the Peloponnese and Cyclades.
This continued until Rome crushed him in 219 BC. His maneuvers were an early version of what we now call proxy wars—where smaller players become pawns of major powers.
Scerdilaidas
Scerdilaidas was the successor of Demetrius and ruled the Illyrian kingdom of the Ardiaei from 218 to 206 BC. Before becoming king, he had an impressive career in the Illyrian military and served prominently at the Ardiaean court.
This Illyrian commander blended piracy with mercenary work, attacking Roman allies in an attempt to gain Aetolian gold. This carried on for a long time.
Scerdilaidas’ career demonstrates that piracy was not solely about acquiring loot—it served as a form of freelance diplomacy and a tool for smaller players to maintain relevance during periods of significant geopolitical tensions
Menophanes: Mithridates’ pirate General
In 88 BC, Menophanes sacked Delos, the sacred island of Ancient Greece. At the time, Delos was a bustling trade hub and Menophanes did the unthinkable:
He slaughtered the island’s inhabitants and looted temples, showing complete disregard for the divine wrath.
His brutality made Rome consider taking more serious steps to crack down on piracy. The Romans soon recaptured the island and offered it back to the Athenians.
Marcus Antonius Creticus: The Roman who failed to tame Crete
In the 1st century BC, the island of Crete initially supported Mithridates VI, the king of Pontus, during his conflict with Rome, reportedly providing him with mercenaries.
They also allegedly recommended pirates to Mithridates and actively aided them when pursued by Marcus Antonius (the elder).
When Antonius sent envoys to address this issue, the Cretans dismissed their concerns with disdain. This led Antonius to wage a massive pirate war against Crete, achieving limited success but earning the title “Creticus.”
He was the father of the later Marcus Antonius who fought Octavian at Actium.
Dicaearchus the Aetolian
Dicaearchus lived in the 3rd century BC. He was entrusted by King Philip V of Macedon with twenty ships, which he used to conduct widespread piracy in the Mediterranean Sea.
Known for his impiety, he is believed to have been erecting altars dedicated to Asebeia (Impiety) and Paranomia (Lawlessness) at every landing site and performing sacrifices to these concepts.
In 196 BC, he was captured and executed in Alexandria by Egyptians.
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