Hi everyone, welcome to Dance Notes History. We've got some big anniversaries this week.

Significant events in history of the ancient world. We're marking the mirror in history

here to keep your eyes at ears peeled for our new Ancient's podcast, which I'll be featuring here

for the first time on Thursday. Today, though, I've got another episode from our sister series How and

Why History in which we ask the big and why questions. And this week's questions are all about

the Romans and the Mediterranean. How did they come to dominate the Mediterranean world, and

especially how they fought off those pesky pirates? If you like this episode, please search How and

Why History every podcast and subscribe. There are 30 other episodes that you may well not have

heard yet. But in the meantime, let's push off and sitting well in order, smite the sounding

pharaohs and set sail to Ancient Rome. While the Romans were embroiled in civil wars at the gates of

Rome, the sea was left unguarded and gradually drew and enticed the pirates on, until they no longer

attacked navigators only, but also laid waste islands and maritime cities. Their flutes and stringed

instruments and drinking bouts along every coast, their seizures of persons in high command,

and their rancemings of captured cities, were a disgrace to the Roman supremacy.

4. You see, the ships of the pirates numbered more than a thousand, and the cities captured by them

400. That was the influential Greek philosopher Pluton, describing how pirates dominated the Mediterranean

sea. By the first entry BC, the nuisance of piracy had become a plague in the region. The Romans

despatched Pompeo's fleet swept across the sea, freeing the way for the expansion of commerce and

the Roman Empire. But why was this sea so significant? How did Rome go about ruling its waves,

and how did the decline of the Empire impact the Mediterranean? History, its Rob Weinberg has been

asking the big questions about this important stretch of water to Dr. James Cork Webster at King's

College London. This is How and Why History. James, thanks for joining us. Thanks very much for having

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