Tyrian purple [ancient Greek πορφύρα, Latin porphúra] from a species of predatory sea snails in the family Muricidae, originally known as Murex. In ancient times, extracting this dye involved tens of thousands of snails and substantial labor.  The main chemical is 6,6’ –dibromoindigo.

One of Paul’s first converts in Asia— a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard us: whose heart the Lord opened— Acts 16:14

The Roman mythographer Julius Pollux, writing in the 2nd century CE, asserted [Onomasticon I, 45–49] that purple dye was first discovered by the philosopher Heracles of Tyre, or rather, by his dog, whose mouth was stained purple from chewing on snails along the shore at Tyre.

The story depicted by Peter Paul Rubens, in his painting, The Discovery of Purple by Hercules’ Dog, c. 1636.

Is it Heracles or Hercules?  Yes, both.   Heracles is Greek.  Hercules— Roman.

Lydia had moved inland to Philippi from Thyatira on the coast.  She was a πορφυρόπωλις, widely translated as a seller of purple [πορφύρα, Lat. purpurarius/a], but probably learned her textile business [Lafaye 1901, §4.1252; Böeckh 1877, §§3496–98] [λαναριοι, Lat. lanarii carminatores, dyers] in Thyatira [Magie 1975, 1:47–48; 2:812n79; Keener 2014a, 3:2399–407].

Now in Philippi, she owned house and business selling not cloth or finished garment but the dye for them.

---

Featured Download: If you would like a resource to help you write poetry like this, CLICK HERE.