Purple Became Associated with Royalty Due to Expensive Dye

For centuries, the color purple has been synonymous with royalty, power, and wealth. This association can be traced back to the rarity and cost of the purple dye that was initially used to produce clothing in this coveted hue. The source of this dye was a small mollusk found only in the Tyre region of the Mediterranean Sea, located in modern-day Lebanon. The Phoenician trading city of Tyre was renowned for its production of Tyrian purple, a dye so expensive that only wealthy rulers could afford to buy and wear clothing adorned in this royal color.

The process of creating Tyrian purple was incredibly labor-intensive, requiring more than 9,000 mollusks to yield just one gram of dye. This scarcity drove up the cost, making purple garments exclusive to the imperial classes of ancient civilizations such as Rome, Egypt, and Persia. The association between purple and royalty was further reinforced by laws that restricted the wearing of purple clothing to members of the royal family, such as those imposed by Queen Elizabeth I of England.

Key Takeaways

• Purple has long been associated with royalty, power, and wealth due to the rarity and cost of purple dye in ancient times.
• Tyrian purple, the most sought-after purple dye, was produced from mollusks found only in the Tyre region of the Mediterranean Sea.
• Creating Tyrian purple was labor-intensive, requiring over 9,000 mollusks to produce a single gram of dye.
• The high cost of purple dye made clothing in this color exclusive to wealthy rulers and imperial classes in ancient Rome, Egypt, and Persia.
• Laws, such as those imposed by Queen Elizabeth I, restricted the wearing of purple to members of the royal family, reinforcing its association with royalty.

The Ancient Origins of Purple’s Royal Status

The color purple’s association with ancient royalty can be traced back to the earliest civilizations. In the ancient world, purple dyes were highly prized for their vibrant hues and were often reserved for the upper echelons of society. The Persian king Cyrus adopted a purple tunic as his royal uniform, while some Roman emperors went so far as to forbid their citizens from wearing purple clothing under penalty of death.

Purple was especially revered in the Byzantine Empire, where rulers donned flowing purple robes, signed edicts in purple ink, and their children were described as “born in the purple.” The most famous purple dye of antiquity was Tyrian purple, produced by the Phoenicians from a species of sea snail now known as Bolinus brandaris. This dye was so rare and precious that it became worth its weight in gold.

The process of harvesting this coveted dye was labor-intensive and time-consuming. Dye makers had to crack open the snail’s shell, extract a purple-producing mucus, and expose it to sunlight for a precise amount of time. It took as many as 250,000 mollusks to yield just one ounce of usable dye, making it an extremely expensive commodity in the purple dye trade of the ancient world.

The scarcity and high cost of purple dye ensured that it remained a symbol of wealth, power, and prestige throughout ancient times. From the palaces of Persian kings to the royal courts of the Byzantine Empire, purple was the color of choice for those who wished to demonstrate their status and authority. This enduring association between purple and royalty would continue to shape the color’s cultural significance for centuries to come.

Purple’s Royal Association

Throughout history, the color purple has been closely associated with royalty and imperial authority. This connection was particularly strong in ancient Rome, where purple was adopted as a symbol of status and power. Roman emperors and high-ranking officials frequently wore garments trimmed or dyed entirely in royal purple to signify their elevated position.

In the Roman Senate, the togas of senators were adorned with purple trim, while the powerful office of Censor was distinguished by a toga dyed entirely in purple. This visual display of authority through the use of purple helped to reinforce the hierarchy and prestige of these political roles.

Beyond clothing, the Romans also incorporated purple into their monuments and buildings. Imperial Porphyry, an igneous rock with a color similar to Tyrian purple dye, was highly prized and used in the creation of statues, monuments, columns, and sarcophagi. This rare and expensive stone was sourced from a single quarry in the Eastern Desert of Egypt and imported in substantial quantities to Rome and Constantinople during the reigns of emperors such as Nero, Trajan, and Hadrian.

The association between purple and imperial power persisted in the Byzantine Empire, the eastern continuation of the Roman Empire. In the Great Palace of Constantinople, a free-standing pavilion was entirely clad in Imperial Porphyry. This chamber held particular significance, as it was the location where the empress would give birth, giving rise to the phrase “Born to the Purple,” which emphasized the inherited right to rule.

The Sumptuary Laws and Purple’s Exclusivity in Elizabethan England

During the Elizabethan era, which lasted from 1558 to 1603, the people of England were subject to strict Sumptuary Laws that dictated the colors, fabrics, and clothing styles permitted for each social class. These laws were designed to maintain social hierarchy and prevent lower classes from dressing above their station. One of the most striking aspects of these laws was the restriction on wearing the color purple, which was reserved exclusively for members of the royal family and their close relatives. This association between purple and royalty further solidified the color’s status as a symbol of wealth, power, and prestige.

The exclusivity of purple during the Elizabethan era was not merely a matter of social convention; it was enforced by law. Queen Elizabeth I’s Sumptuary Laws made it illegal for anyone outside the royal family to wear purple clothing or accessories. This prohibition was taken so seriously that even some members of the nobility found it difficult to obtain purple garments. In one famous example, the Roman emperor Aurelian in the third century AD refused to allow his wife to purchase a shawl made from Tyrian purple silk because it was literally worth its weight in gold. The high cost and rarity of purple dye made it a luxury that few could afford, even among the upper echelons of society.

The exclusivity of purple began to wane in the mid-19th century, thanks to the accidental discovery of a synthetic purple dye by English chemist William Henry Perkin in 1856. Perkin patented the dye and began manufacturing it under the names “aniline purple” and “Tyrian purple,” making a fortune in the process. The introduction of synthetic purple dye made the color more accessible to the masses, and by 1859, the name of the dye had been changed to “mauve,” based on the French name for the purple mallow flower. Chemists referred to the dye compound as “mauveine.” Despite the advent of synthetic purple, the color’s association with royalty and luxury persisted, and it remains a potent symbol of power and prestige to this day.