Did You Know? Italy
In Ancient Rome, the color purple wasn’t simply fashionable—it represented power.
The richest shade, known as Tyrian Purple (Royal purple or Imperial purple), was created from tiny Mediterranean sea snails. Its name comes from the Phoenician city of Tyre where it was manufactured. Producing just a small amount of dye required thousands of shells, making it one of the most expensive substances in the ancient world.
Because of its incredible cost, purple clothing became associated with the elite: the imperial family, senators, and magistrates could wear the toga praetexta, a white toga with a broad purple border. Roman generals, after a triumphant victory, could wear the toga picta, a purple toga with a gold border, on their day of celebration. In some periods of Roman history, only the emperor could wear the toga purpurea, a garment made entirely of this prized color. It is believed Julius Caesar was the first to don an all-purple toga.
The next time you see royal purple, remember that it once symbolized the highest authority in the Roman world.
Question: If you lived in Ancient Rome, what color do you think would represent status today?
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