Illustrated Companion to the Latin Dictionary/Zona

This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Rich, Anthony (1849). The illustrated companion to the Latin dictionary, and Greek lexicon. p. vi. OCLC 894670115. https://archive.org/details/illustratedcompa00rich. 

ZO'NA (ζώνη). The zone; a flat and broadish girdle worn by young unmarried women round their hips (Hom. Od. v. 231. Ov. Fast. ii. 321.); whereas the common girdle (cingulum) was placed immediately under the bosom, as exemplified by the wood-cuts (Zona/1.1), which show the two objects in juxta-position. The left-hand one exhibits a zone by itself, from a fictile vase, and its place upon the person, from a group representing Electra and Orestes; the right-hand figure, from a marble statue, wears a cingulum under the breast. The zone was not laid aside until after the wedding, when the bridegroom had unfastened it with his own hands; whence the expression zonam solvere (Catull. ii. 13. Compare Ov. Her. ii. 115.) means "to enter the married state."

2. A broad belt worn by men round their loins (Hom. Il. xi. 234. Plaut. Merc. v. 2. 84.), and made double or hollow like our shot-belts, for the purpose of carrying money deposited in it about the person (C. Gracch. ap. Gell. xv. 12. Suet. Vit. 16.); whence the expression zonam perdere (Hor. Ep. ii. 2. 40.) means "to loose one's money."

3. The Greek writers also use the term for a soldier's belt, worn round the loins, to cover the juncture of the cuirass and the kilt of leather straps (πτέρυγες) attached to its rim (Hom. Il. v. 539.), as shown by the annexed example (Zona/3.1), representing a Greek warrior on a fictile vase; but in this sense the Romans adopt the word cingulum.

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  Zona/1.1
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  Zona/3.1