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Quiz about Pompey and the Pirates
Quiz about Pompey and the Pirates

Pompey and the Pirates Trivia Quiz


Plutarch and the Cilician pirates are back! It's been seven years since Caesar was captured, held for ransom, and subsequently had his captors crucified. Let's pick up on the story!

A photo quiz by ponycargirl. Estimated time: 5 mins.
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Author
ponycargirl
Time
5 mins
Type
Photo Quiz
Quiz #
376,519
Updated
Dec 03 21
# Qns
10
Difficulty
Tough
Avg Score
6 / 10
Plays
492
Awards
Top 35% Quiz
Last 3 plays: JanIQ (8/10), Bmac1000 (5/10), Guest 136 (5/10).
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Question 1 of 10
1. Prior to Pompey's famous encounter with the pirates, he had been given a title. What was it? Hint


Question 2 of 10
2. Some sources state that Julius Caesar had previously taken care of the Cilician pirates when he had five hundred of them crucified in 75 BC. According to Plutarch, what was going on in Rome which enabled the pirates to make a come back by 68 BC? Hint


Question 3 of 10
3. The fact of the matter is that many people were joining the ranks of the Cilician pirates by 68 BC. In Plutarch's "Life of Pompey", it is stated that the new pirates especially came from which group? Hint


Question 4 of 10
4. The Cilician pirates had become so powerful by 68 BC, that they controlled how many cities according to Plutarch? Hint


Question 5 of 10
5. In Plutarch's "Life of Pompey", for what reason did the Romans send Pompey to "recover the seas from the pirates?" Hint


Question 6 of 10
6. In Plutarch's account it was written that Pompey was given power to get rid of the pirates in what area? Hint


Question 7 of 10
7. Plutarch said that Pompey's power was absolute not only on the sea, but also in the adjacent mainland for the space of four hundred furlongs from the sea.


Question 8 of 10
8. Plutarch said that Pompey was given 500 ships, 120,000 foot soldiers, and 5,000 cavalry to defeat the pirates.


Question 9 of 10
9. How long did it take Pompey to get rid of the pirates? Hint


Question 10 of 10
10. What was Pompey's general policy as far as dealing with the captured Ciclician pirates? Hint



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Most Recent Scores
Sep 21 2024 : JanIQ: 8/10
Sep 09 2024 : Bmac1000: 5/10
Sep 03 2024 : Guest 136: 5/10

Score Distribution

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. Prior to Pompey's famous encounter with the pirates, he had been given a title. What was it?

Answer: Magnus

As a young man, Pompey had served in his father's army; at the age of twenty, when his father died, Pompey inherited his wealth, as well as his army. Although in reality he was a private citizen who had never held political office, he was an extremely popular general who had won several victories while fighting in Sicily and Africa at the time when he was given the title "Magnus", or "the great".

The ancient rule of succession for public office, "cursus honorum", was eventually waived, as well as the age requirement, when Pompey became co-consul in 70 BC with the older, more experienced Crassus.

It was after holding this prestigious office that Pompey was given the power to deal with the pirates.
2. Some sources state that Julius Caesar had previously taken care of the Cilician pirates when he had five hundred of them crucified in 75 BC. According to Plutarch, what was going on in Rome which enabled the pirates to make a come back by 68 BC?

Answer: Civil wars in Rome left the seas mostly unguarded.

A nasty power struggle between two generals, Gaius Marius and Lucius Cornelius Sulla, left Romans divided. Having served under Marius during the Jugurthian War and led a successful campaign during the Social Wars, Sulla was elected consul in 88 BC; he was subsequently given command of the Asian province where Mithridates was leading a revolt against Rome.

When Sulla left Rome, Marius took over the city with his army and began murdering those who had supported Sulla. After the defeat of Mithridates, Sulla returned to Rome, where he began proscribing his enemies, publishing a daily list of those who were to be killed. Having a name on Sulla's list meant not only death to the individual, but also seizure of property that belonged to the person and his descendants.
3. The fact of the matter is that many people were joining the ranks of the Cilician pirates by 68 BC. In Plutarch's "Life of Pompey", it is stated that the new pirates especially came from which group?

Answer: Patrician

Piracy became a very lucrative occupation with the seas being left unguarded. Plutarch said that "men of wealth and noble birth and superior abilities" joined the pirates. In fact, the pirate ships that had gilded masts, sails woven of purple, and oars plated with silver.
4. The Cilician pirates had become so powerful by 68 BC, that they controlled how many cities according to Plutarch?

Answer: 400

Plutarch estimated that there were 1,000 ships in the pirates' fleet. Of course, the cities that they seized were plundered and looted; in addition, they would travel the roads inland and destroy villages and country houses. Several sacred temples were violated by the pirates, and it was noted that the pirates offered strange sacrifices on Mt. Olympus and performed secret rites related to the worship of Mithras.
5. In Plutarch's "Life of Pompey", for what reason did the Romans send Pompey to "recover the seas from the pirates?"

Answer: Fear of famine

If the Romans could not carry on trade in the Mediterranean, they could not receive grain from the provinces. Without grain from the provinces Rome would not be able to feed its people. The pirates so totally controlled the sea that it was impossible to carry out peaceful trade. Grain prices had sky-rocketed.

However, it is interesting to note that as soon as people heard that Pompey had been appointed to take care of the pirate problem, prices immediately stabilized because "the very name of Pompey ended the war".
6. In Plutarch's account it was written that Pompey was given power to get rid of the pirates in what area?

Answer: All the seas within the pillars of Hercules.

The task must have seemed daunting. Pompey divided the entire region into thirteen parts, each with an appointed general, along with an allotment of the provisions, men, and ships, that he had been given. In dispersing his power in this way, the pirates were easily surrounded and subdued. Those pirates who escaped, fled to their base in Cilicia, which was in Pompey's appointed region.
7. Plutarch said that Pompey's power was absolute not only on the sea, but also in the adjacent mainland for the space of four hundred furlongs from the sea.

Answer: True

Plutarch made a comment that there were not very many areas of the Roman empire that did not fall under this law, and one can image that he was correct! According to the Gabinian Law, which legally granted such absolute power to Pompey, all kings and kingdoms that occupied the mainland area were under his jurisdiction as well.

Although there was opposition to the law, Pompey was given three years to dispose of the pirates.
8. Plutarch said that Pompey was given 500 ships, 120,000 foot soldiers, and 5,000 cavalry to defeat the pirates.

Answer: True

Originally the decree provided for, among other things, 200 ships and the power for Pompey to choose as many soldiers and sailors as he thought he needed. With this unprecedented allocation of power, however, there were those in the Senate who feared they had created a more dangerous situation that the pirates had, as well as those who were envious.

After much debate, a second decree was made; ironically, it gave Pompey even more power.
9. How long did it take Pompey to get rid of the pirates?

Answer: 3 months

Plutarch said that Pompey first used his allocation of ships and men to clear the sea in his appointed region, which included Rome, and "by his own indefatigable industry and the zeal of his lieutenants" completed that task in forty days. Afterwards, he turned his attention to Cilicia, where many of the pirates had fled. Within three months Pompey accomplished the task which he had been given three years to complete.

Some sources are quick to say that Pompey would not have been able to complete the work he did so quickly without the help of predecessors, especially Publius Servilius Vatia, who had made previous attempts to rid of the sea of pirates, but had not broken their power completely. Nevertheless, Pompey was the one who achieved the victory and earned the credit for the miraculous feat.
10. What was Pompey's general policy as far as dealing with the captured Ciclician pirates?

Answer: He gave them land and settled them as farmers.

Plutarch wrote that while Pompey and his generals took over 20,000 prisoners, it was never his intention to put them to death. He determined that a change of lifestyle was what they needed, so he settled them on land away from the sea, and made them - farmers! Some were resettled in towns of Cilicia, but the majority were relocated to Dyme, the town of Achaea, which had an abundance of good land and was in need of settlers.

While turning the pirates into farmers may seem odd to some, it must be remembered that the Romans knew their beginnings were based on agriculture, and farming was a highly respected occupation.

In addition, the Romans needed the grain!
Source: Author ponycargirl

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor bloomsby before going online.
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