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All About Purple: An Introduction

 

When thinking of the Imperial Roman Empire and the many Emperors that took rule through the centuries, we recall the imagery and symbolism carried with it through art. The representation of Emperors in their dress was constantly depicted in purple robes. Purple thereby became associated with Roman Imperial Emperors in art, portraiture, and architecture. The extraction process of each material, porphyry and murex dye, held great difficulty and was therefore expensive. With the large price tag of these materials use, it was then only the Emperors that could take advantage of these products. Through such restricted usage, association grew between emperor rule to porphyry and murex dye. The rarity of the colour purple and complexity of its production and extraction during the Imperial Roman Empire was the reason for its use as a status symbol and aesthetic antiquity.

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Deceased in Purple

Writer: SydneySydney
Apr 16, 20181 min read

Porphyry being an important stone material to the emperors in their reign, it is then translated to their deaths. Moreover, Constantine had eight porphyry sarcophagi made with each holding relatives’ remains (Vasiliev 1948). With relative association to the Emperor, when remains placed in porphyry sarcophagus, this creates a symbolic representation of the decease’s high ranking and a form of deifying. By doing so, using porphyry, and in relation with the colour purple, the symbolism turns to reinforce the status and power of the emperor as the material is under the individuals’ control. In this case relating to Constantine’s mother Helena’s sarcophagus, she is deified and her relationship to Constantine is reinforced. The use of porphyry for her sarcophagus offers the deceased Helena rank and status in the afterlife (Vasiliev 1948). With Constantine’s mother Helena’s remains in the porphyry sarcophagus, it is symbolic to connecting her to the Imperial line.

 
 
 

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