Tyrian purple in antiquity because the colour did not easily fade, but instead became brighter with weathering and sunlight. Its significance is such that the name Phoenicia means 'land of purple.' It came in various shades, the most prized being that of "blackish clotted blood". Tyrian purple was expensive: the 4th-century-BC historian Theopompus reported, "Purple for dyes fetched its weight in silver at Colophon" in Asia Minor. The expense meant that purple-dyed textiles became status symbols, whose use was restricted by sumptuary laws. The most senior Roman magistrates wore a "toga praetexta", a white toga edged with a stripe of Tyrian purple.
HMS Tyrian (R67) and ratings. The ship was armed with four 45-calibre 4.7-inch (120 mm) Mark XII guns in dual-purpose mounts. For anti-aircraft (AA) defence, "Tyrian" had one twin mount for Bofors 40 mm guns and four twin Oerlikon autocannon. She was fitted with two above-water quadruple mounts for torpedoes. Two depth charge rails and four throwers were fitted for which 70 depth charges were provided. Between 1946 and 1951 "Tyrian" was held in reserve at Harwich. Between 1951 and 1952 she was converted to a Type 16 fast anti-submarine frigate, by Harland & Wolff at Liverpool. She was also allocated the new