Final answer:
Pirate captains used various means to avoid capture, including clever evasion tactics, negotiating ransoms, and taking advantage of the Mediterranean's numerous hidden harbours. They also manipulated other sailors and officials with their notorious reputations, and, at times, were able to negotiate clemency to gain allies against other pirates.
Step-by-step explanation:
Pirate captains sometimes employed clever tactics and strategies to escape being captured. They would use ransom negotiations, as Julius Caesar did, who was captured in 75 BCE by pirates but was allowed to send people to raise his ransom and later took his captors by surprise. Furthermore, pirate captains often operated in territories with hidden harbours where they could quickly launch attacks and just as swiftly retreat, making it difficult for pursuers to catch them. The problem of piracy in the Mediterranean was exacerbated by the fact that Roman civil wars left seas unguarded, resulting in pirate confidence and boldness increasing.
Some pirates even infiltrated the crew of ships, exemplified by the agents of pirates in the case of Apollonius of Tyana, who was offered riches to betray his ship. Smart navigation and evasion techniques, such as sailing at night or using knowledge of the local waters, were common methods for avoiding capture. Pirates were also known to outsmart their adversaries, and sometimes indulged in negotiations or psychological tactics that leveraged their reputation for ruthlessness to intimidate or manipulate other sailors and officials.
Moreover, pirates like Pompey utilized clemency as a tool, encouraging pirate bands to surrender with the promise of mercy, using their aid to hunt down others. This tactic not only led to the capture of pirates but also helped ensure the loyalty of some of the pirate communities to Roman authorities.