As a result, the Adriatic Sea fell prey to both Slavic and Saracen pirates, the former operating from the shores of Dalmatia and the latter from their southern Italian bases at Bari, Taranto, and Brindisi.

[3] The Aghlabid fleet plundered the cities of Boutova (Budva), Rhosa (Risan), and Dekatera (Kotor), before going on to lay siege to Ragusa (Dubrovnik).

[1][4] The Ragusans managed to resist the Aghlabid siege for fifteen months, but as their strength declined, they sent envoys to Constantinople to seek assistance.

Emperor Basil agreed to help them, and equipped a fleet of reportedly 100 ships, under the command of the experienced and capable patrikios Niketas Ooryphas.

To this end, in 869, Ooryphas led another fleet, including ships from Ragusa which ferried Slavic contingents, in a joint effort to capture Bari with Louis II of Italy.