St. James's Auctions
Auction 65 21 Sep 2022
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Caracalla (AD 198-217), tetradrachm, Tyre, Phoenicia, c. AD 213-217, laur. and cuir. bust r., rev. eagle standing facing on club, murex shell between legs, wt. 13.74gms. (Prieur 1551), near extremely fine
The murex, or rather the dye obtained from the shell, was the most important symbol of political and economic status in the Roman society. The royal purple dye was used for the most important ceremonial robes. The molluscs would be collected in their thousands, boiled for days in a lead vat, which would have produced a foul smell, and through the heat and exposure to light, the purple dye could be extracted. The heavy labour made the dye highly expensive and it was the ultimate sign of wealth and power in the Roman Empire.
(Estimate: 50-100 GBP)
The murex, or rather the dye obtained from the shell, was the most important symbol of political and economic status in the Roman society. The royal purple dye was used for the most important ceremonial robes. The molluscs would be collected in their thousands, boiled for days in a lead vat, which would have produced a foul smell, and through the heat and exposure to light, the purple dye could be extracted. The heavy labour made the dye highly expensive and it was the ultimate sign of wealth and power in the Roman Empire.
(Estimate: 50-100 GBP)