Julius Caesar was a Roman political and military genius, born in 100 BC.
He expanded the Roman republic through a series of battles across Europe
before declaring himself dictator for life in 44 BC.
However, as a younger man, Caesar was involved in the world of Roman law.
To enter court life was a popular way for a would-be politician to make a name for himself,
whether he won or lost the case.
In the winter of 75 BC, Caesar left Rome to further his studies on the island of Rhodes
in the Aegean Sea.
However, he never made it as his ship was attacked by Silician pirates
somewhere off the southwestern coast of Asia Minor,
near the city of Miletus.
Besides the usual haul of cargo and passengers now destined for the slave markets,
the pirates were thrilled to discover that they had taken a member of the Roman nobility, Julius Caesar.
Piracy had been a problem in the Mediterranean
since Homer wrote of it in his epic poem, Odyssey, many centuries earlier.
Since the beginning, no one had ever found an effective way to bring it under control.
A city could rid its local waters of pirates with a concerted effort,
but the raiders would just move down the coast to establish another base.
As long as pirates could control some hidden cove far from settled areas,
they could strike in at ships with impunity.
Caesar treated the pirates with a good-natured contempt that shocked and amused his captors.
They were used to terrified prisoners who begged for mercy.
But Caesar acted more as if the pirates were a minor distraction to his busy schedule.
He was insulted by their suggested ransom of twenty talens, and
raised the price on his own head to fifty talens, which was about 300,000 silver coins.
Caesar sent away several members of his traveling party to Miletus
to try and raise the money, while one companion and two slaves stayed with him.
Caesar lived as a prisoner of the pirates for forty days,
sharing their meals and even joining in their athletic games.
He composed poetry for them and called them "uncultured barbarians"
when they failed to appreciate his verses.
He ordered them around and even sent a slave to quiet them when they kept
him awake at night.
He also repeatedly joked that he was going to return and crucify them all once he was released.
The pirates loved their bold young guest and must've been sorry to see him go
when a ship bearing his ransom returned from Miletus.
Laughing and waving, Caesar said farewell to his pirate hosts.
Caesar soon reached Miletus, and there he commandeered some local ships and militia,
setting sail almost immediately back to the pirate's space.
He surprised them while they were still aboard their ships, and captured most of them immediately.
Caesar seized all of their loot, including the 50 talens he had just paid.
He then loaded the chained buccaneers onto his ships and sailed to the nearby city of Pergamon,
to find the Roman governor Marcus Iuncus.
Discovering that the governor was away in the city of Bithynia,
Caesar threw the pirates in prison and set off to seek official permission from Iuncus
to punish his former captors.
Iuncus heard Caesar's report, but decided to sell the pirates into slavery
and keep the profits for himself.
This did not suit Caesar at all.
He left Bithynia and rushed back to Pergamon, before the governor's agents could arrive
and take possession of his prisoners.
Just as he had warned them about what he would do during his captivity,
Caesar led the pirates out of their cells, and immediately slit their throats
before having all of them crucified.
Putting the episode behind him, Caesar soon afterwards left his scholarly life
and embarked on a career of military service.
It wasn't long before he was in action.
He took matters into his own hands and led a band of local militia to repel an invasion
in Asia Minor.
In 44 BC, shortly after declaring himself dictator for life,
Julius Caesar was assassinated by those who believed he was becoming too powerful.