ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Ancient Mediterranean piracy

Alright, kiddo, let's talk about ancient Mediterranean piracy.

You know how you love to play pirates with your friends at the park? Well, a long time ago, there were real-life pirates in the Mediterranean Sea. They sailed around in big boats called ships and they would attack other ships that were carrying valuable things, like gold, spices, and even people.

But not all pirates were bad. Some of them were actually hired by cities or countries to protect their ships from other pirates. These pirates were called privateers. They would get paid to attack enemy ships and steal their stuff.

The ancient Mediterranean pirates were very sneaky. They would hide in coves and wait for unsuspecting ships to pass by. Then, they would jump out and attack! Some pirates even had cool tricks to make other ships think they were friendly. They would raise a different flag to trick the other ship into thinking they were on the same team. Once they got closer, the pirate ship would raise their black flag and attack.

Pirates were a big problem for traders and merchants because they would lose a lot of money if their ship was attacked. So, some countries decided to come up with ways to stop the pirates. They made coast guards and hired more privateers to protect their ships. They also built forts and put soldiers on the islands to watch out for pirate ships.

In the end, piracy wasn't a very successful way to make a living because it was very risky. Most pirates were eventually captured or killed. But, at the time, it was a big problem for people who relied on the sea for their business.