Only the rich could wear purple.
The Romans always judged a book by its cover — more precisely, by its color. There were two options. All shades of brown-yellow and gray-black were natural colors of sheep’s wool; therefore, they were perceived as a sign of poverty. Shades of red, purple, and green were created artificially with expensive dyes brought from afar. That’s why they were a sign of wealth and aristocracy.
Purple clothes were particularly chic.