It was the custom of the Persians not to begin a march before sunrise. When the day wasalready bright, the signal was given from the king's tent with the horn; above the tent, from which it might be seen by all, there gleamed an image of the sun enclosed in crystal. Now the order of march was as follows. In front on silver altars was carried the fire which they called sacred and eternal. Next came the Magi, chanting their traditional hymn. These were followed by three hundred and sixty five young men clad in purple robes, equal in number to the days of the whole year; for the Persians also divided the year into that number of days.