10 Things you Didn’t Know about Ancient Rome

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9Purple clothing was trending and royal

There’s a reason why purple is known as the color of royalty. It was once very rare and hard to extract, which made it expensive to own. Ancient Romans discovered the color when the empire annexed eastern territories in modern-day Lebanon and Jerusalem. It was in the ancient Phoenician city of Tyre, the birthplace and trade hub of Tyrain purple.

It was made from a species of snail known as Bolinus brandaris. The dye was so rare that it became worth its weight in gold. To own a spool of purple wool would cost what an average citizen earned in a year. Because of the rarity and the price, it was only accessible to and worn by the wealthy.