Piracy, Sea

Ken Livingstone

Piracy has existed for as long as there has been trade at sea, and although its image is generally linked with the activities of the seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries—and with infamous proponents such as Henry Morgan (1635–1688); Edward Teach (?–1718), also known as “Blackbeard”; William Kidd (1645–1701), known as Captain Kidd; and Anne Bonny and Mary Read (1690–1720)—its antecedents stretch much further back. Early accounts of piracy indicate that the Phoenicians, Greeks, and Romans were no strangers to piracy, both as offenders and victims, and later groups such as the Scandinavian Vikings were equally happy employing piracy as well as trade. Similarly, piracy has long been a staple activity in the South China Sea, and to this day, it continues to be a major threat to shipping in this and other areas. Piracy is generally defined as the apprehension, boarding, and robbery of vessels and/or persons at sea. Piracy ...

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