Some Remarks on the Date of Caesar’s Capture by Cilician Pirates

Abstract

The capture of young Julius Caesar by pirates off the western coast of Asia Minor is mentioned by many ancient and modern authors on various occasions. Some discrepancies, however, in ancient literary sources providing information about this event have led to some differences of opinion among modern writers. After examining the common points in the ancient literary sources by removing the authors’ embellishments rather than the differences that brought about the disputes, the historical core of the event emerges as follows: In his early youth during his sea travel off the coast of Asia, Caesar was captured by Cilician pirates near the island of Pharmakousa1 Fig. 1 . He was taken prisoner by the pirates on this island for about 40 days. After the payment of a large ransom, he was released and then set sail with the ships that he acquired from the nearby region. Eventually, he seized and punished the pirates who had captured him

Caesar’ın Kilikialı Korsanlar Tarafından Yakalanmasının Tarihi Üzerine Bazı Düşünceler

Abstract

Genç Caesar’ın Asia kıyılarında korsanlar tarafından yakalanıp esir edilmesinden gerek antik kaynaklarda gerekse modern eserlerde çeşitli vesileler ile söz edilmektedir. Bu olay hakkında bilgi veren antik edebi kaynaklardaki bazı uyuşmazlıklar modern araştırmacılar arasında görüş ayrılıklarının yaşanmasına neden olmaktadır. Görüş ayrılıklarına neden olan uyuşmazlıklardan ziyade öncelikle antik edebi kaynaklardaki ortak noktalara bakacak olursak olayın tarihsel özünün şu şekilde olduğu ortaya çıkmaktadır. Caesar gençliğinde Asia kıyısında seyahat ederken Pharmakousa adası yakınlarında Kilikialı korsanlar tarafından yakalandı. Yaklaşık 40 gün kadar bu adada korsanların elinde esir olarak kaldı. Yüksek bir fidye karşılığında serbest bırakıldıktan sonra bölgeden topladığı gemiler ile denize açılarak kendisini yakalamış olan korsanları ele geçirdi ve onları cezalandırdı.

References

1. Alexander 1990 M. C. Alexander, Trials in the Late Roman Republic, 149 BC to 50 BC (1990).
2. Bernhardt 1972 R. Bernhardt, “Zwei Ehrenstatuen in Kaunos für L. Licinius Murena und seinen Sohn Gaius”, Anadolu (Anatolia) 16, 1972, 117-122.
3. Billows 2009 R. A. Billows, Julius Caesar: The Colossus of Rome (2009).
4. Bowersock 1965 G. W. Bowersock, Greek Sophists in the Roman Empire (1965).
5. Brennan 2000 T. C. Brennan, The Praetorship in the Roman Republic 2 vols. (2000).
6. Canfora 1999 L. Canfora, Giulio Cesare: il dittatore democratico (1999).
7. CIL T. Mommsen et al. (ed.), Corpus Inscriptionum Latinarum I-. (1863-).
8. Cottier et al. 2008 M. Cottier – M. H. Crawford – C. V. Crowther – J.-L. Ferrary – B. M. Levick – O. Salomies – M. Wörrle, The Customs Law of Asia (2008).

9. Crawford 1996 M. H. Crawford, Roman Statutes, 2 vols. (1996).
10. De Souza 1999 P. de Souza, Piracy in the Graeco-Roman World (1999).
11. Dmitriev 2005 S. Dmitriev, “The History and Geography of the Province of Asia during its First Hundred Years and the Provincialization of Asia Minor”, Athenaeum 93, 2005, 71-133.
12. Ferrary 2000 J.-L. Ferrary, “Les gouverneurs des provinces romaines d’Asie Mineure (Asie et Cilicie), depuis l’organisation de la province d’Asie jusqu’à la première guerre de Mithridate (126–88 av. J.C.)”, Chiron 30, 2000, 161-193.
13. Freber 1993 P.-S. G. Freber, Der hellenistische Osten und das Illyricum unter Caesar (1993).
14. Fuhrmann 1992 M. Fuhrmann, Cicero and the Roman Republic (1992).
15. Gelzer 1939 M. Gelzer, “M. Tullius Cicero (als Politiker)”, RE VIIA/1, 1939, 827-1091.
16. Gelzer 1968 M. Gelzer, Caesar: Politician and Statesman (1968).
17. Glew 1981 D. G. Glew, “Between the Wars. Mithridates Eupator and Rome, 85-73 B.C.”, Chiron 11, 1981, 109-130.
18. Goldsworthy 2006 A. Goldsworthy, Caesar: The Life of a Colossus (2006).
19. Günther 1999 L-M. Günther, “Caesar und die Seeräuber – eine Quellenanalyse”, Chiron 29, 1999, 321-337.
20. Herrmann 1994 P. Herrmann, “Milet unter Augustus: C. Iulius Epikrates und die Anfänge des Kaiserkults”, IstMitt 44, 1994, 203-236.
21. Holtheide 1983 B. Holtheide, Römische Bürgerrechtspolitik und römische Neubürger in der Provinz Asia (1983).
22. I. Délos F. Durrbach et al. (ed.), Inscriptions de Délos I-VII. (1926-1972). http://epigraphy. packhum.org/inscriptions
23. IG A. Kirchhoff et al. (eds.), Inscriptiones Graecae I-. (1873-). http://epigraphy. packhum.org/inscriptions
24. IvKalchedon R. Merkelbach (ed.), Die Inschriften von Kalchedon: Inschriften griechischer Städte aus Kleinasien 20 (1992).
25. Laes – Strubbe 2014 C. Laes – J. Strubbe, Youth in the Roman Empire: The Young and the Restless Years? (2014).
26. LSJ H. G. Liddell – R. Scott, A Greek English Lexicon. H. S. Jones (rev.) (1996).
27. Kelly 2006 G. P. Kelly, A History of Exile in the Roman Republic (2006).
28. Magie 1950 D. Magie, Roman Rule in Asia Minor to the End of Third Century after Christ, 2 vols. (1950).
29. Marshall 1972 A. J. Marshall, “The lex Pompeia de provinciis (52 B.C.) and Cicero’s Imperium in 51-50 B.C.: Constitutional Aspects”, in: ANRW I.1 (1972) 887-921.
30. McGing 1995 B. C. McGing, “The Ephesian Customs Law and the Third Mithradatic War”, ZPE 109, 1995, 283-288.
31. Meier 1982 C. Meier, Caesar (1982).
32. Milet I 3 T. Wiegand (ed.), Milet, Ergebnisse der Ausgrabungen und Untersuchungen seit dem Jahre 1899: III. Das Delphinion in Milet (nos. 31-186). A. Rehm (ed.) (1914).
33. Mitchell 2008 S. Mitchell, “Geography, Politics, and Imperialism in the Asian Customs Law”, in: M. Cottier et al. (eds.), The Customs Law of Asia (2008) 165-201.
34. MRR T. R. S. Broughton, The Magistrates of the Roman Republic, 3 vols. (1951-1986).
35. Ormerod 1924 H. A. Ormerod, Piracy in the Ancient World: An Essay in Mediterranean History (1924).
36. Osgood 2010 J. Osgood, “Caesar and the Pirates: or How to Make (and Break) an Ancient Life”, G&R 57/2, 2010, 319-336.
37. Peek 1978 W. Peek, “Orakel aus Dodona für den Piratenkönig Zeniketes”, ZPE 30, 1978, 247- 248.
38. Pelling 2011 C. Pelling, Plutarch Caesar (2011).
39. Pohl 1993 H. Pohl, Die römische Politik und die Piraterie im östlichen Mittelmeer vom 3. bis zum 1. Jh. v. Chr. (1993).
40. Santangelo 2007 F. Santangelo, Sulla, the Elites and the Empire: A Study of Roman Policies in Italy and the Greek East (2007).
41. Sherwin-White 1984 A. N. Sherwin-White, Roman Foreign Policy in the East 168 B.C. to A.D. 1 (1984).
42. SIG W. Dittenberger et al. (eds.), Sylloge Inscriptionum Graecarum3, 4 vols. (1915- 1924).
43. Strasburger 1938 H. Strasburger, Caesars Eintritt in die Geschichte (1938).
44. Syme 1979 R. Syme, “Observations on the Province of Cilicia”, in: E. Badian (ed.), Roman Papers (1979) 120-148. [= in: W. M. Calder – J. Keil (eds.), Anatolian Studies Presented to William Hepburn Buckler (1939) 299-332]
45. Ward 1977 A. M. Ward, “Caesar and the Pirates II. The Elusive M. Iunius Iuncus and the Year 75-4”, AJAH 2, 26-36.
46. Will 2008 W. Will, Veni, Vidi, Vici: Caesar und die Kunst der Selbstdarstellung (2008).
47. Will 2009 W. Will, Caesar (2009).
48. Woodman 1983 A. J. Woodman, Velleius Paterculus: The Caesarian and Augustan Narrative (2.41- 93) (1983).