September 30th, 2013 by Piper Smith
The word “pirate” originates in the 1300s from the Latin word pirata meaning “sea robber” and was also a Latin synonym for the word “peril.” In Greek, the word came from peirates, meaning “one who attacks.” Pirating is distinguished from the historic concept of privateering, which is a pirate-like action by a national or governmental authority. So some people were allowed to engage in acts of piracy under the label of “commerce raiding!”
Picture caption: The Flag of Edward of England! We know it as the pirates’ infamous Skull and Crossbones!
