A Little Book on Colors

...From the Phoenicians, the color Phœniceus (phoenix/red), also called Puniceus, burns, like a Viola Flammea (flaming violet); and thus by many in the past, the purple was called violacea; today it almost retains the name: for Paonacius is said as if Puniceus, even if some wish this vernacular word to be made from the color of the peacock (Pauo).

Phœniceus in a horse.

But it named another Phœniceus from itself, the palm, which is Phœnix in Greek. This color in a horse, as we have already said, is praised most highly; it has been called by various names: sometimes Spadiceus, sometimes Baius, and also Badius and Balius. For the Greeks call the branches of palms with their fruit Spadices and Baia: whence the horse is called Baius by stable-hands.

FULVUS (TAWNY) CHAP. XI.

Of all, Fuluus shines the most, which many things boast of, especially orichalcum, gold, and even the stars themselves,

Which neither winds extinguish, nor a storm falling in a
Watery cloud, but they always coruscate with a lofty light.

Therefore, Tibullus properly called the stars Fuluas. There is also a species of golden sand which Virgil called Fuluam, and a certain kind of eagle highly celebrated by Aristotle, which is also Fuluo in color. If this is in some way dulled and obscured, it is called Rauus (grey/tawny). And so Horace called the she-wolf Rauam, whose color most people have called Fuluum with a better-known word. Some report that Rauos eyes, which M. Varro praises in the dog and the ram, are between cæsios (bluish-grey) and flauos (yellow). This color Flauus often adorns the heads of maidens and boys, and it always shines out in ripe crops,