Editing Zalmoxis (section)

==Etymology==
A number of etymologies have been given for the name. In his ''Vita Pythagorae'', [[Porphyry (philosopher)|Porphyrius]] (3rd century) says that he was so named because he had been wrapped in a bearskin at birth, and ''zalmon'' is the Thracian word for "hide" ({{lang|grc|τὴν γὰρ δορὰν οἱ Θρᾷκες ζαλμὸν καλοῦσιν}}). [[Hesychius of Alexandria|Hesychius]] (c. 5th century) has {{Transliteration|grc|zemelen}} ({{lang|grc|ζέμελεν}}) as a [[Phrygian language|Phrygian]] word for "foreign slave".

The correct spelling of the name is also uncertain. Manuscripts of Herodotus' ''Historiae'' have all four spellings, viz. ''Zalmoxis'', ''Salmoxis'', ''Zamolxis'', ''Samolxis'', with a majority of manuscripts favouring ''Salmoxis''. Later authors show a preference for ''Zamolxis''. Hesychius quotes Herodotus, using ''Zalmoxis''.

The ''-m-l-'' variant (''Zamolxis'') is favoured by those wishing to derive the name from a conjectured Thracian word for "earth", {{Transliteration|txh|*zamol}}. Comparisons have also been made with the name of Zemelo and [[Žemyna|Žemelė]], the [[Phrygia]]n and [[Lithuania]]n goddess of the earth, and with the Lithuanian [[chthonic]] god [[Žemėpatis|Žemeliūkštis]].<ref>Alexandrescu, Petre. "La nature de Zalmoxis selon Hérodote". In: ''Dialogues d'histoire ancienne'', vol. 6, 1980. pp. 119-120 (footnote nr. 1). DOI: https://doi.org/10.3406/dha.1980.1403; www.persee.fr/doc/dha_0755-7256_1980_num_6_1_1403</ref> The Lithuanian word ''Žalmuo'' means "corn shoot" or "fresh grass". ''Žalmokšnis'' is another possible form of it.

The ''-l-m-'' variant is admitted to be the older form and the correct form by the majority of Thracologists, as this is the form found in the older Herodotus manuscripts and other ancient sources. The ''-l-m-'' form is further attested in Daco-Thracian in ''Zalmodegikos'', the name of a Getic King; and in Thracian {{Transliteration|txh|zalmon}}, 'hide', and {{Transliteration|txh|zelmis}}, 'hide' (PIE ''*kel-'', 'to cover'; cf. English ''helm'').

The other name for Zalmoxis, Gebeleizis, is also spelled Belaizis and Belaixis in Herodotus manuscripts.

According to Mircea Eliade:
{{blockquote|The fact that Romanian folk mythology around their prophet Elijah contains many elements of a god of the storm proves at least that Gebeleizis was still active in the moment when Dacia was christianised, whatever his name was in this era. It can also be admitted that subsequently a religious syncretism, encouraged by the high priest and the priestly class, ended up on confusing Gebeleizis with Zalmoxis.<ref>Eliade, Mircea. ''Istoria credințelor și ideilor religioase'', Editura Științifică, Bucuresti, 1992, p. 163.</ref>}}