Database: Pirates of the Mediterranean

Cilicia//-200

In the second half of the second century BCE, the collapse of the Seleucid Empire created a power vacuum that turned the region of western Cilicia into a pirate stronghold. The inhabitants were already known for their outlaw activities and military prowess, and the Cilicians established themselves as the most successful group of pirates in the ancient Mediterranean region.

Despite efforts from authorities to destroy their empire, including an attempt by Marcus Antonius around 100 BCE, the strength of the Cilician pirates remained unrivalled for several decades.