The Roman 'Frantic Passion for Purple' (Pliny 9.66): A Geographic Analysis of the Murex Dye Industry from the late Roman Republican Period to Late Empire.
Susmann, Natalie.
2017-04-18T14:04:30.105Z
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Abstract: Murex shells (Murex trunculus) were popular in antiquity because they were used to create the famed “Tyrian Purple” dye. During the Roman Republic and Empire, the dye was expensive and employed to display social status among the ruling elites. This thesis focuses on the archaeological evidence of Roman murex production, distribution, and consumption, and includes a provisional gazetteer ... read moreof murex producing sites. Analysis of the data suggests that around the mid 3rd century B.C.E., there was an expansion of murex dye production sites which subsequently contracted during the later Empire. Sites also cluster on the coast of North Africa, and in this region, have the longest period of usage. This thesis argues that the expansion of murex dye sites can be attributed to the influx of agricultural and luxury goods being imported into Rome during the late Republican and early Empire period. During this period, North Africa was also exporting olive oil, fish products, and textiles to Rome. Because the coastal North African cities were already exporting many products to Rome, had the labor and production facilities necessary to create the dye, and also clearly had access to abundant murex snail population, it made sense that North African cities would also add murex dyed textiles to the exports sent to Rome. During the Empire, murex dye continued to grow in popularity, which in fact influenced the contraction of dye sites shown in the gazetteer. This contraction occurred in the 3rd century C.E., during the ”Imperial Crisis”. The elite were fearful of their status symbol losing its meaning and value because of the increased consumption. As a result, Roman emperors then placed restrictions on the consumption of purple dye, thereby decreasing the number of dye sites needed to supply the Empire.
Thesis (M.A.)--Tufts University, 2011.
Submitted to the Dept. of Classics.
Advisor: Bruce Hitchner.
Committee: Matthew Harrington, and David Proctor.
Keywords: Archaeology, Classical Studies, and Geographic Information Science and Geodesy.read less - ID:
- t148fv24d
- Component ID:
- tufts:21019
- To Cite:
- DCA Citation Guide EndNote
