In ancient Rome, why was Tyrian purple dye so expensive that only emperors and the elite could afford clothing dyed with it?

Before modern pricing strategies, ancient civilizations had their own complex systems of value and status-based pricing. One particular commodity became so valuable that it transformed into a symbol of power and royalty, with prices that would be astronomical by today's standards. Test your knowledge about this famous ancient luxury good and its remarkable pricing structure that shaped fashion and status for centuries.

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It required over 10,000 Murex sea snails to produce just one gram of the dye
It was imported exclusively from China via the dangerous Silk Road, with 90% of shipments lost to bandits
The formula was a state secret, with only three imperial dye-masters allowed to produce it under threat of execution
It was created using a rare flower that bloomed only once every decade in remote North African oases