Cilicia and pirates and sackcloth in ancient times

Sackcloth is mentioned many times in the Bible.

Matthew 11:21 Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. [kjv]

ουαι σοι χοραζιν ουαι σοι βηθσαιδα οτι ει εν τυρω και σιδωνι εγενοντο αι δυναμεις αι γενομεναι εν υμιν παλαι αν εν σακκω και σποδω μετενοησαν [gnt]

Acts 21:39 But Paul said, I am a man which am a Jew of Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, a citizen of no mean city: and, I beseech thee, suffer me to speak unto the people. [kjv]

ειπεν δε ο παυλος εγω ανθρωπος μεν ειμι ιουδαιος ταρσευς της κιλικιας ουκ ασημου πολεως πολιτης δεομαι δε σου επιτρεψον μοι λαλησαι προς τον λαον [gnt]

27:5 And when we had sailed over the sea of Cilicia and Pamphylia, we came to Myra, a city of Lycia. [kjv]

το τε πελαγος το κατα την κιλικιαν και παμφυλιαν διαπλευσαντες κατηλθαμεν κατηλθομεν εις της λυκιας [gnt]

Here we are interested in the Latin word for "sackcloth" and the relation to Cicilia and pirates.

Matthew 11:21

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KJV: Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.

Greek: ουαι σοι χοραζιν ουαι σοι βηθσαιδαν βηθσαιδα οτι ει εν τυρω και σιδωνι εγενοντο αι δυναμεις αι γενομεναι εν υμιν παλαι αν εν σακκω και σποδω μετενοησαν

Latin: vae tibi Corazain vae tibi Bethsaida quia si in Tyro et Sidone factae essent virtutes quae factae sunt in vobis olim in cilicio et cinere paenitentiam egissent

Wessex: Wa þe corozaim. wa þe bethsaida. for þam gyf on tyro & sydon waeren ge-done þa manige þe syndde don on eow. ge-fern hyo deden deadbote on haeren & on aescan.

Wycliffe: Wo to thee! Corosaym, woo to thee! Bethsaida; for if the vertues that ben doon in you hadden be doon in Tyre and Sidon, sumtyme thei hadden don penaunce in heyre and aische.

Luther: Wehe dir, Chorazin! Wehe dir, Bethsaida! Wären solche Taten zu Tyrus und Sidon geschehen, wie bei euch geschehen sind, sie hätten vorzeiten im Sack und in der Asche Buße getan.

The Wessex Gospels use "haeren" and Wycliffe uses "heyre", as "hair", for "sackcloth".

… deadbote on haeren & on aescan. [wes]

… penaunce in heyre and aische. [wy]

The Latin word "cilicio" ≈ "sackcloth, cloth, shirt".

Note that the Latin word "cinere" ≈ "ashes" from which we get the English word "cinder" and "incinerate".

In Roman times, a "cilice" (the Latin word) was originally made from coarse animal hair.

The Latin name "cilicio" comes from the Roman province (and city) of Cilicia in southeast Asia Minor. This area is mentioned 8 times in the GNT (Greek New Testament).

The capital of Cilicia was Tarsus, from which Paul came.

Acts 21:39 But Paul said, I am a man which am a Jew of Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, a citizen of no mean city: and, I beseech thee, suffer me to speak unto the people. [kjv]

Acts 21:39

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KJV: But Paul said, I am a man which am a Jew of Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, a citizen of no mean city: and, I beseech thee, suffer me to speak unto the people.

Greek: ειπεν δε ο παυλος εγω ανθρωπος μεν ειμι ιουδαιος ταρσευς της κιλικιας ουκ ασημου πολεως πολιτης δεομαι δε σου επιτρεψον μοι λαλησαι προς τον λαον

Latin: et dixit ad eum Paulus ego homo sum quidem iudaeus a Tarso Ciliciae non ignotae civitatis municeps rogo autem te permitte mihi loqui ad populum

Tyndale: But Paul sayde: I am a ma which am a Iewe of Tharsus a cite in Cicill a Citesyn of no vyle cite I beseche ye soffre me to speake vnto ye people.

*G2791 *8 Κιλικία (kil-ik-ee'-ah) : probably of foreign origin; Cilicia, a region of Asia Minor:--Cilicia.

Usage

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κιλικιας *5

Acts 6:9 ... and of them of Cilicia and of Asia, disputing with Stephen.
Acts 21:39 ... a man which am a Jew of Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, a citizen of no ...
Acts 22:3 ... born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, yet brought up in ...
Acts 23:34 ... when he understood that he was of Cilicia;
Galatians 1:21 ... the regions of Syria and Cilicia;

κιλικιαν *3

Acts 15:23 ... and Syria and Cilicia:
Acts 15:41 And he went through Syria and Cilicia, confirming the churches.
Acts 27:5 And when we had sailed over the sea of Cilicia and Pamphylia, we came ...

Words: κιλικιαν=3 κιλικιας=5

The area was mountainous, home to thieves, robbers, pirates, etc. The word "pirate" comes from the Greek.

More: Matthew 4:1-11, 6:13: Examining evil temptations

Paul mentions the dangers of his home area of Cicilia, including a long list of perils or dangers, in 2 Corinthians 11:26-27. In this geographic area, one had to be vigilant always.

2 Corinthians 11:26 In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; [kjv]

οδοιποριαις πολλακις κινδυνοις ποταμων κινδυνοις ληστων κινδυνοις εκ γενους κινδυνοις εξ εθνων κινδυνοις εν πολει κινδυνοις εν ερημια κινδυνοις εν θαλασση κινδυνοις εν ψευδαδελφοις [gnt]

11:27 In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. [kjv]

κοπω και μοχθω εν αγρυπνιαις πολλακις εν λιμω και διψει εν νηστειαις πολλακις εν ψυχει και γυμνοτητι [gnt]

2 Corinthians 11:26

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KJV: In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren;

Greek: οδοιποριαις πολλακις κινδυνοις ποταμων κινδυνοις ληστων κινδυνοις εκ γενους κινδυνοις εξ εθνων κινδυνοις εν πολει κινδυνοις εν ερημια κινδυνοις εν θαλασση κινδυνοις εν ψευδαδελφοις

Latin: in itineribus saepe periculis fluminum periculis latronum periculis ex genere periculis ex gentibus periculis in civitate periculis in solitudine periculis in mari periculis in falsis fratribus

Wycliffe: in weies ofte, in perelis of floodis, in perelis of theues, in perelis of kyn, in perelis of hethene men, in perelis in citee, in perelis in desert, in perelis in the see, in perelis among false britheren, in trauel and nedynesse,

Gothic: wratodum ufta, bireikeim ahvo, bireikeim waidedjane, bireikeim us kunja, bireikeim us thiudom, bireikeim in baurg, bireikeim in authidai, bireikeim in marein, bireikeim in galiugabrothrum,

Luther: Ich bin oft gereiset; ich bin in Gefahr gewesen zu Wasser, in Gefahr unter den Mördern, in Gefahr unter den Juden, in Gefahr unter den Heiden, in Gefahr in den Städten, in Gefahr in der Wüste, in Gefahr auf dem Meer, in Gefahr unter den falschen Brüdern,

2 Corinthians 11:27

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KJV: In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.

Greek: εν κοπω και μοχθω εν αγρυπνιαις πολλακις εν λιμω και διψει εν νηστειαις πολλακις εν ψυχει και γυμνοτητι

Latin: in labore et aerumna in vigiliis multis in fame et siti in ieiuniis multis in frigore et nuditate

Luther: in Mühe und Arbeit, in viel Wachen, in Hunger und Durst, in viel Fasten, in Frost und Blöße,

About a 100 years earlier, in 75 BC, a young 25 year old Julius Caesar (100-44 BC) was captured by Cilician pirates while traveling to study oratory at Rhodes.

Plutarch relates the story. Caesar captivated the pirates with stories, etc., and convinced the pirates that the ransom they were asking was too little for his value. He would, at times, banter and joke that he would have them all crucified. When the ransom was paid, Caesar raised a small naval force, returned to the site, captured the same pirates, brought them back, and had them crucified. Caesar was a born leader - for better or for worse.

The Roman general and statesman Pompey the Great (106 BC - 48 BC) had many interesting accomplishments.

He had the boyhood name of "teenage butcher" for his ruthlessness.
Was part of the forces that put down the rebellion of the slave Spartacus (71 BC)
Cleared the Mediterranean of Cicilian pirates in 49 days in 66 BC.
Took over Palestine, Judea and Jerusalem for Rome (63 BC).
He was part of the Triumvirate (Caesar, Pompey, Crassus) who became dictators of the previous Roman democratic republic.
Opposed Caesar which eventually led to his demise and death. Later, Caesar was himself assassinated.

Caesar downplayed the previous work of Pompey when he put down a revolt in what is today eastern Turkey with the famous quote, "I came, I saw, I conquered" as if it did not take much effort.

Acts 27:5

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KJV: And when we had sailed over the sea of Cilicia and Pamphylia, we came to Myra, a city of Lycia.

Greek: το τε πελαγος το κατα την κιλικιαν και παμφυλιαν διαπλευσαντες κατηλθαμεν κατηλθομεν εις μυρα μυρρα της λυκιας

Latin: et pelagus Ciliciae et Pamphiliae navigantes venimus Lystram quae est Lyciae

Tyndale: Then sayled we over the see of Cilicia and Pamphylia and came to Myra a cite in Lycia.

Luther: Und schiffeten auf dem Meer vor Zilizien und Pamphylien über und kamen gen Myra in Lyzien.