Coastal Patrol

Coastal patrols were vital to protect the majority of trade routes around the Empire. The navy used smaller, faster ships such as biremes, and had naval garrisons along the coast to police the seas. Their main mission was safeguarding merchant ships against piracy, which was a huge problem in the Mediterranean. Julius Caesar himself was held for ransom by pirates in his youth; foolishly, they laughed at the young Caesar but, after the ransom was paid, he hunted down and crucified his captors! Eventually Rome did dominate the Mediterranean and the Romans, with a typical bit of arrogance, referred to the sea as 'Mare Nostrum' or 'Our Sea'.