Zonus

Latin

Etymology

Since Pliny is quoting Eratosthenes, presumably borrowed from Ancient Greek. W. W. Tarn understands the term as a separate, native name of the Oxus, rather than a corruption of Ὦξος (Ôxos) itself, in which case it would ultimately be from a Central Asian language.

Pronunciation

• (Classical) IPA^(key): /ˈzo.nus/, [ˈd̪͡z̪ɔnʊs̠]

Proper noun

Zonus m sg (genitive Zonī); second declension

1. (hapax) A river flowing into the Caspian Sea, mentioned by Pliny; perhaps an alternative name for the Oxus (modern Amu Darya)
   • c. 77 CE – 79 CE, Pliny the Elder, Naturalis Historia 6.15.36:

     inde per Anariacos, Amardos, Hyrcanos ad ostium Zoni fluminis IIII DCCC […] p.

Declension

Second-declension noun, singular only.

Case	Singular
Nominative	Zonus
Genitive	Zonī
Dative	Zonō
Accusative	Zonum
Ablative	Zonō
Vocative	Zone

References

• Zonus in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette.
• Tarn, W. W. (1948) Alexander the Great, volumes 2, Sources and Studies, Cambridge University Press, page 13, note 1