How was Julius Caesar captured by pirates?

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Statue of Julius Caesar in Roman military attire stands in front of a domed building in Rome, Italy, with a clear blue sky in the background. — Julius Caesar Julius Caesar, bronze sculpture in Rome.

In 75 BCE, while traveling to Rhodes to study oratory, the 25-year-old Julius Caesar was captured by Cilician pirates in the Aegean Sea.1

Rather than acting as a typical captive, Caesar displayed remarkable audacity. When the pirates initially demanded a ransom of 20 talents, he mocked them for their ignorance of his status and insisted they demand 50 talents instead. During his 38 days of captivity, he treated his captors as subordinates, forcing them to listen to his poetry and speeches, and frequently warned them that he would eventually have them crucified.1

The pirates viewed his threats as jokes, but after his ransom was paid and he was released, Caesar immediately organized a naval force in Miletus. He returned to the island, captured the pirates, and ensured they were all crucified for their actions.1