So unless you’ve been living in a yurt somewhere, you’ve probably heard about the Saudi super-tanker that was hijacked by modern-day pirates off the East African coast last week.

In honor of the event (which is, by the way, a pretty big deal – and not just because of the potential for hilarious pirate puns*) the CBC has posted this thoughtful, comprehensive look at pirates and piracy through the ages – from the ancient Phoenicians through to the Barbary Coast, Captain Jack Sparrow and beyond.

Check it out.

*Hilarious puns aside, what this really means (besides big oil taking the opportunity to knock prices up a notch or two) is further proof that Somalia is a total basket case, a failed state, and that basket case nations aren’t good news for anyone. Least of all their own citizens.

Photo by Jan Tik (Creative Commons)