Is organized crime a modern age phenomenon ?

Pretty much all information regarding organized crime concerns the modern age . Naturally I could be ignorant of things , which is why I'm curious to know if organized crime existed in ( say ) ancient Rome or Babylon or even the Middle Ages .

I don't know much about pre-20th century history, but based on what I've read in those times the king/emperor/state whatever had a lot more authority which would have made it a lot more difficult for any sort of street level organized crime to flourish. Plus punishments were more severe.

It was called The Pope back then lol

Even with all the torture and severe punishments in the Middle Ages there were plenty of outlaws,

If they could travel and communicate long distance in ancient times they would have organized. They could not so they stayed located in all pockets. So I think yes, it is a modern age thing for that reason.

In Europe in the Middle Ages and later, "highwaymen" (bands of criminals) would waylay travelers on roads and rob or kill them. Asian countries throughout the ages had gangs of "bandits" that preyed on travelers and sometimes shook down villages and towns. Some Chinese provinces were dominated by "warlords" who were organized armies of thieves, into the 20th Century. Beginning in mid-19th Century, some large American cities had gangs of ethnics who shook down their neighborhoods, as did the "Black Hand" later.

it seems that all the oldest organized crime groups (italian mafia, yakuza and triads) were born in 1800s there are not proof they were alive before, anyway probably criminals used by noblemen was so common that it was not even considered organized crime

In the 15th century in spain there was the Garduna that was a pyramidal group which activities included street crimes like murders,extortions,pimping from carry murders of powerful people and search infos for blackmail import people and gave impunity to the street members.
The garduna was the mother of camorra,ndrangheta e mafia.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thuggee

The thugs was a criminal secret society of killers and robbers born in the middle age india. The made human sacrifices to goddess Kali and was completly disbanded by english army in 1857. The word Thug derive by their name.

Germany: (mostly Swabian,Bavaria, Pflaz, Hessen)
Between 1750 ~ 1850 you will find a lot so called "Räuberbande". They were more or less organized. But share all a subculture. So it's start with a own dialect "Rotwelsch". They were not fix in one city. Travelling alot. And social background was disruption as a result in consequence of the napoleon's war.

Famous groups are

Schinderhannesbande
Wetterauer und Vogelsberger Bande
Hannikel Group

They had different activitys but mostly Robbery, Burglary, fesncing, Pimping.

famouse case was Konztanzer Hans he was a rat: Betrayed 500 thiefs/thugs and a lot places (brothels...).

I think something like a "criminal underworld" exist in every kind of state's.
How strong such thing organzed had to do with the state and society.

OC mostly connected with the legal power. IMO that's the key to unterstand OC groups. Without a connection between them you have only some
criminals.

So i think you will find some kind of OC in Venezia, Genova, Florence (12-14. AC). I heard Paris in the middle age had groups.

I'm sure Paris had kind of OC groups through the time

the garduna was a legend, it never existed aside some cervantes books

In the 18th century we had the buckriders

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buckriders

Yeah I was gonna say that that I thought that the Garduna has never been proven to exist either .

The grip of the Arab leaders was huge on Spain. So I think it was more an Christian uprising against the Muslims. The bandits were the leaders of the poor.

I guess pirates would be considered organized crime since they were organizations with a captain and leaders.

Gang Warfare in 18th Century Boston

https://outofthiscentury.wordpress.com/2010/02/16/18th-century-gang-warfare-in-boston/

yes i agree pirates were a sort of organized crime, they also had often links with governments
anyway i think ta that time the concept of 'organized crime' simply didn't exist, because was very common for politicians and nobles to use criminals for dirty works

Yeah come to think of it organized crime in the form of groups of bandits has always existed , it's just that it took for the modern age to come around in order for mob groups , street gangs , and prison gangs to come into existence . Kinda obvious really lol .

The Beati Paoli was a medieval secret society that preceded today's Mafia.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beati_Paoli

they never existed just a legend

Urban legends have a basis in fact.