cities built near the mouths of convenient harbours; the inhabitants of
these carried on a considerable commerce, and at the same time engaged in
piracy. They were uncommonly active and daring in this pursuit, attacking
and robbing every ship they met with; they even had the courage, or the
rashness, to oppose the Roman fleet, under the command of the consul
Metellus; but they were beaten, and for a time obliged to abstain from
their piratical proceedings.

They were soon again, however, emboldened to resume them, by the assistance
and example of the inhabitants of Crete and Cilicia. This latter country,
situated in Asia Minor, and possessing a sea-coast which extended along the
Mediterranean, from east to west, nearly 250 miles, was fertile beyond most
parts of Asia Minor; though on the coast, it was reckoned unhealthy. The
principal commercial town was Alexandria, built by Alexander the Great,
between Issus and the straits that lead from Cilicia into Syria; its
situation being very favourable for carrying on trade to all the western
parts of the Mediterranean, as well as to Egypt, the Euxine, &c. it soon
became one of the most flourishing cities in the world. But the Cilicians
were not content with lawful and regular trade: in the time of the
Mithridatic war, and even before it, they began to plunder the neighbouring
coasts; and being successful in these predatory expeditions, they extended
them as far as the coasts of Greece and Italy, on which they landed, and
carried off a great number of the inhabitants, whom they sold as slaves.
The Romans at length deemed it absolutely necessary to act with vigour
against them. Publius Servilius, who was employed on this occasion,
defeated them in a sea-battle, and took most of their strong-holds. For a
short time afterwards, they abstained from their predatory excursions; but,
as we shall soon have occasion to notice, they resumed them whenever they
had repaired their losses, and thought the Romans otherwise employed.