The Roman captives were shackled with the leg irons originally intended for the pirates, and the pirates fastened them to the ends of the ship's yards, sailing around the waters surrounding Italy, flaunting their might.
The Senators closed their eyes and pretended to be deaf and mute, even when Antonius II, the Governor in office, died in battle as a result, they did not take fierce retaliatory action against the pirates who humiliated Rome.
This greatly fueled the pirates' arrogance.
In the second year after Pompey stepped down as Governor (68 BC), the pirates invaded Ostia Port, not only plundering a large amount of goods from the port but also burning the flagship of the Roman Governor in the dock.
