The English word "pirate" is derived from the Latin pirata ("pirate, corsair, sea robber"), which comes from Greekπειρατής (peiratēs), "brigand", in turn from πειράομαι (peiráomai), "I attempt", from πεῖρα (peîra), "attempt, experience". The

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Europe
Antiquity
The earliest documented instances of piracy are the exploits of

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Rewards
Pirates had a system of hierarchy on board their ships determining how captured money was

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A privateer or corsair used similar methods to a pirate, but acted under orders of the state while in possession of a commission or letter of marqueand reprisal from a

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A wartime activity similar to piracy involves disguised warships called commerce raiders or merchant raiders, which attack enemy shipping commerce, approaching by stealth

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Seaborne piracy against transport vessels remains a significant issue (with estimated worldwide losses of US$16 billion per year),

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To date, the following identifiable pirate shipwrecks have been discovered:
• Whydah Gally (discovered in 1984), a former slave ship seized on its maiden voyage from Africa by the pirate captain "Black Sam" Bellamy. The wreck was found off the coast of

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