In ancient Greece and Rome, the bird, φοῖνιξ, was sometimes associated with the similar-sounding [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phoenicia Phoenicia], a civilization famous for its production of purple dye from conch shells. A late antique etymology offered by the 6th- and 7th-century CE archbishop [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isidore_of_Seville Isidore of Seville] accordingly derives the name of the phoenix from its allegedly purple-red hue. Because the costly purple dye from Phoenicia was associated with the upper classes in antiquity and, later, with royalty, in the medieval period the phoenix was considered "the royal bird". | In ancient Greece and Rome, the bird, φοῖνιξ, was sometimes associated with the similar-sounding [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phoenicia Phoenicia], a civilization famous for its production of purple dye from conch shells. A late antique etymology offered by the 6th- and 7th-century CE archbishop [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isidore_of_Seville Isidore of Seville] accordingly derives the name of the phoenix from its allegedly purple-red hue. Because the costly purple dye from Phoenicia was associated with the upper classes in antiquity and, later, with royalty, in the medieval period the phoenix was considered "the royal bird". |