Azania - some etymological considerations.
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Date
1992
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Classical Association of South Africa.
Abstract
There have been a number of attempts to establish an etymology for the
name Azania. Liddell and Scott offer the derivation 'land of Zan or Zeus',
Casson suggests that Azania has the same root as Zanzibar, and that this
root had the meaning 'black'. Huntingford argues that the name derives
from the Greek 'to dry, parch up'. Finally, Dreyer points
out that the Afro-Asiatic languages of north-east Africa have a word meaning
'brother' which may have given rise to the name. Liddell and Scott's
derivation refers to Azania in Arcadia, whereas the others refer to a region
in north-east Africa. This article investigates these derivations and goes on
to ask whether the use of the same name for the Arcadian and the African
Azania is a coincidence or not.
Description
Keywords
Names, Geographical--Africa., Names, Geographical--Etymology--Africa., Southern African place names.
Citation
Hilton, J.L. 1992. Azania - some etymological considerations. Acta Classica 35, pp. 151-159.