Etruscan Piracy - Velthur Valerius post AncientSites >Rome > Groups >Etruria New Vines "Products Contest" with $500 in Prizes! Places To Go!Today's PostsRomeAthensEgyptBabylonTaraMachuPicchuNewYorkAncientSitesSite MapAncientVine Rome Board Index | Rome Daily Posts Board: Etruria Topic: The Sea People Topic Editor: Nesnut Hatshepsut Topic Description: The Etruscans were famous s... Email this post to a friend! Message: Etruscan Piracy - Velthur Valerius post Author: Lauchum/ Translator - Camitlnas Tullius, Patron Date: Aug 5, 2000 04:54 Translation from Scrivere in Italiano: =Translation begins============================================ Message: Etruscan piracy Author: etruscan - Velthur Valerius Dates: Jul 31, 2000 09:29 The fundamental prerequisite of a pirate ship is not so much its offensive capability, but its cruising velocity and manoeuverability. The time avaiable for raids was always very limited because of the danger of being intercepted from enemy warships. Pirate ships therefore were constructed in a manner that maximised their velocity and manoevrability, utilising the most advanced technology available. The mercantile ships or mercantile emporia of the Tyrrhenian Sea were taken by surprise by the Etruscan pirates (who were determined men highly trained, and equipped with technologically advanced ships) who then made their escaped from the Greek or Punic navies. All this lasted until 480 BCE because from this date the Greeks and Phoenicians were armed with triremes. From then on, the risk of interception for the Tyrrhenian pirates increased. In 413 BCE, the Etruscans went to the aid of Athens in the siege of Syracuse (The Peloponesian war) with 3 pentecontors (ships with one row of oars). Etruscan techology was therefore 70 years out of date compared to that of the Greeks and Phoenicians, therefore we also come to the conclusion that the Etruscan pirates were no longer masters of the Tyrrhenian Sea. In 384 BCE, Syracuse then decided to attack the pirates at the source and sent a powerful fleet of 60 warships to destroy the ports of Alsium, Pirgi, Punicum, Graviscae and Vetulonia, spelling the end of Etruscan piracy. ==============End of Translation=============== Previous: Etruscan Piracy ( - Camitlnas Tullius )