The Lycian Coast and the Scourge of Piracy

Pirates were the scourge of the ancient Mediterranean and the Lycian coast justly gained the reputation as the "Pirate Coast". This coast is dotted with many strategically placed coves and islands where the sea-raiders would hide themselves and pounce upon the many heavily-laden merchant ships sailing by. Numerous efforts were continually necessary to clean up the coast from as early as 1194 BC and as late as the 19th century. The Lycian city of Phaselis especially suffered from pirates. During its brief independence from Lycia (c. 100 BC) it was overrun by Cilician pirates and became their base for a time, until they were driven out by the Roman general Servilius Vatia in 78 BC. The city had quickly became smaller with a diminished population. Piracy was one of the reasons why there were few Lycian coastal cities.

Records regarding piracy show:

Ramses III of Egypt put together a great fleet to take on the Lukki (Egyptian name for the Lycian area). He was successful and the coast was free of pirates for a while.

In 480 BC the Lycians contributed fifty ships to Xerxes' invasion of Greece. Heredotus gives us this description of the motley crews aboard:

"The wore greaves and corslets; they carried bows of cornel wood, cane arrows without feathers, and javelins. They had goatskin slung round their shoulders, and hats stuck round with feathers. They also carried daggers and rip-hooks."

Piracy was again mentioned in the 5th c BC, but not until the Roman occupation of Asia Minor were any efforts made to bring it under control. Early attempts were somewhat effectual, but it was not until 67 BC that Admiral Pompey, given huge powers and almost unlimited resources, was able to check the piracy problem with great success.

After the fall of Rome the Lycian coast once more became heavily saturated with pirate fleets. It was not until the presence of the British Navy in the 18th and 19th centuries that the Lycian coast was finally cleaned up.