Outsiders in the Greek Cities in the Fourth Century BC (Routledge Revivals) by Paul Mckechnie

Author:Paul Mckechnie [Mckechnie, Paul]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781317808008
Barnesnoble:
Publisher: Taylor & Francis
Published: 2014-02-04T00:00:00+00:00

Privateers?

Given the intimate connection between piracy and mercenary service, and the similarity of the pirate chiefs (in so far as anything is known about them) to the leaders of the wandering armies, it may seem strange to argue, as this section will, that there was no privateering in the fourth century. The case of Timocles shows that pirates were prepared to serve in generals' maritime campaigns. In this Timocles, at the end of the century, was probably doing no more than Theopompus the Milesian had done for Lysander.117 But 'privateering' is a word which has been applied by Ormerod to a model a good deal more complicated than that which can be derived from these two cases (Ziebarth appears to assume Ormerod's model,118 but categories make no great difference to his conclusions): and some considerable importance is attached to a distinction between it and piracy.119

Ormerod's case is, briefly, that 'piracy and privateering were intimately connected, and the nomenclature in both cases almost identical' and that privateering can be distinguished mainly because 'closely allied to privateering is the system of reprisals and distraint as recognised in ancient international law'.120

The first example which illustrates the 'system of reprisals and distraint' is the episode, related in Demosthenes' speech against Timocrates, of the ship of Naucratis seized at sea by an Athenian naval vessel.121 The money it was carrying had been kept by three ambassadors who were passengers in the trireme122 although it had been declared public property by the assembly.123 As the incident did not involve a private vessel, it is difficult to see what Ormerod means it to indicate about privateering. He seems to show only that in 355 the Athenians were prepared to regard the king's enemies as their enemies.124 Second, he instances depredations against Attica authorised by the Spartans (and adduces Hellenistic parallels).125

This seems to be the nearest approach to privateering as Ormerod defines it: 'hostile action undertaken by privately owned vessels in wartime'.126 But the third part of Ormerod's case for ancient privateering on the modern model is less easy to follow: it depends on a point of Attic law. If anyone were killed abroad,127 his relatives might take up to three hostages from those at whose house he died, with a view to their standing trial or the murderer's being given up.128 Ormerod takes it that the kidnappings mentioned at [Dem.] 51 (Trierarchic Crown). 13 are family reprisals of this kind, and not merely unauthorised kidnappings, with a view to ransom, by the unscrupulous trierarchs whom Demosthenes is describing. But surely there would have been little if any profit for these trierarchs (contractors who had 'hired' a trierarchy from the liturgy-payer responsible for it)129 in helping relatives of murdered persons to seize hostages? And surely too few Athenians were murdered outside Athens for seizures of hostages to make Athens unpopular?103 Ormerod's use of [Dem.] 51(Trierarchic Crown). 13 is in any case thoroughly misleading, since (again) naval vessels, not privately owned ships, are involved.131

Further on Ormerod writes, 'the official custodian of the seas [sc.

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