Battle of Korakesion

36°31′48″N 32°00′36″E / 36.53000°N 32.01000°E / 36.53000; 32.01000Result Pirates victoryBelligerents Roman Republic Cilician piratesCommanders and leaders Pompey UnknownStrength 200 ships (Roman claim) 1000 ships (Roman claim)Casualties and losses ? 3,000 pirates surrendered^[1]

The Battle of Korakesion, also known as the Battle of Coracaesium, was a naval battle fought in 67 BC between the Cilician Pirates and the Roman Republic. It was the culmination of Pompey the Great's campaign against the pirates of the Mediterranean; Plutarch describes it as the key battle of Pompey's clearing of the Mediterranean of pirates after several smaller battles. According to Plutarch the pirates had about a thousand ships (almost certainly an exaggeration) against Pompey's two hundred, but were defeated in the initial naval engagement. Florus also states it was not a hard-fought affair as the pirates soon realised they were out-classed and most of them simply surrendered.^[2] After retreating to the shore, the remaining pirates were apparently besieged in the town of Coracaesium, modern day Alanya, before surrendering.^[3]

See also

• Pompey's campaign against pirates

References