Praetorian Feast Crimson

Latin praetōriānus, of the praetor — adjectival suffix, referring to the Roman-Imperial elite guard-cohorts. As a color modifier, praetorian implies a saturated-and-elite-and-imperial-guard quality, the deep-rich color of Roman-Praetorian-Guard elite-imperial-bodyguard scarlet-tunic-and-bronze-armor military-formation. Sits at the bold-and-formal end of the grid, parallel to spartan and imperial.

Latin festus, festal-day. As a color modifier, feast implies a celebratory-and-feast-day quality, the visual register of Christmas-and-Easter-Feast celebratory-and-feast-day liturgical-and-secular ceremonial-and-festal-banquet surfaces under feast-day candlelit-and-ceremonial-banquet light. Sits at the modifier-and-time end of the grid, parallel to yule and easter in usage.

From the Old Spanish cremesin, itself from the Arabic qirmiz — the kermes scale insect, dried and ground into a brilliant carmine dye prized in the medieval Mediterranean. For centuries the most expensive red on a draper's shelf, reserved for cardinals, kings, and the cloth that gave English the word crimson. Cooler than scarlet, deeper than rose; the color of pomegranate seeds and a serious occasion.