Editing Symbols of Europe (section)

=={{anchor|Europa}} Europa and the bull==
{{Main|Europa (consort of Zeus)}}

[[File:The Kidnapping of Europa Mosaic.jpg|thumb|Europa ''[[velificatio|velificans]]'', "her fluttering tunic… in the breeze" (mosaic, [[Zeugma Mosaic Museum]])]]
[[File:Map by Fredericus de Wit with Europa personification.jpg|thumb|Europa as a representation of Europe (''Nova et accurata totius Europæ descriptio'' by [[Frederik de Wit|Fredericus de Wit]], 1700)]]
[[File:European Union residence permit emblem.svg|thumb|Symbol displayed on all EU and residence permits]]

''Europa'' was used as a geographical term, for one of the great divisions of the [[Ecumene|known world]], by [[Herodotus]] (in a reduced geographical scope, referring to parts of [[Thrace]] or [[Epirus]], also in the [[Homeric hymn]] to [[Apollo]]). It became the geographical term for the landmass west of the [[Tanais]] in the Roman-era geography by [[Strabo]] and [[Ptolemy]].
''Europa'' first began to be used in a cultural sense, denoting the territory of [[Latin Church|Latin]] [[Christendom]], in the [[Carolingian period]].

''Europa'' is a feminine name, the name of a [[nymph]] in [[Hesiod]], and in a legend first related by [[Herodotus]], the name of a [[Phoenicia]]n noble-woman abducted by Greeks (in Herodotus' opinion, [[Cretans]]). The classical legend of Europa being abducted not by Greek pirates but by [[Zeus]] in the shape of a [[bull]] is told in [[Ovid]]'s ''[[Metamorphoses]]''. According to the account, Zeus took the guise of a tame white bull and mixed himself with the herds of Europa's father. While Europa and her female attendants were gathering flowers, she saw the bull, and got onto his back. Zeus took that opportunity and ran to the sea and swam, with her on his back, to the island of [[Crete]]. There he revealed his true identity, and Europa became the first queen of Crete. Zeus gave her a necklace made by [[Hephaestus]] and three additional gifts: [[Talos]], [[Laelaps (mythology)|Laelaps]] and a [[Pilum|javelin]] that never missed. Zeus later re-created the shape of the white bull in the stars, which is now known as the constellation [[Taurus (constellation)|Taurus]].

In addition to generally being a frequent motif in European art since [[Greco-Roman]] times, the [[founding myth]] of Europa and the bull has frequently been alluded to in relation to the continent and by the modern European Union, and can thus be considered not only a piece of [[toponymy]], but also as a symbol, or [[national personification]] of Europe. For instance, statues of Europa and the bull are located outside several of the European Union's institutions, as well as on the [[Greek euro coins|Greek €2 coin]]. Europa's name appeared on postage stamps commemorating the Council of Europe, which were first issued in 1956.{{Citation needed|date=September 2008}} Furthermore, the dome of the [[European Parliament]]'s [[Espace Léopold#Paul-Henri Spaak|Paul-Henri Spaak building]] contains a large mosaic by [[Aligi Sassu]] portraying the [[Europa (mythology)|abduction of Europa]] with other elements of [[Greek mythology]]. The bull is also in the top-left corner of the new design of the residence permit card of all European Union countries.<ref>{{cite book|last= Demey |first= Thierry |others= S. Strange (trans.) |title= Brussels, capital of Europe |year= 2007 |publisher= Badeaux |location= Brussels |isbn= 978-2-9600414-2-2 |page= 387 }}</ref>