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Banner Artemide LVI
Europa Godmother of a Whole Continent
Lot # 326
L. Valerius Acisculus. AR Denarius, 45 BC. Obv. ACISCVLVS. Head of Apollo right, hair tied with band; above, star; behind, acisculus. Rev. Europa seated on bull walking right; in exergue, L. VALERIVS. Cr. 474/1a; B. 17. AR. 4.01 g. 20.00 mm. R. Rare. Great metal, full weight and broad flan. Lustrous and superb. Insignificant banker's mark on obverse and minor areas of weakness beside edge, otherwise EF. Europa, in Greek mythology, was the daughter either of Phoenix or of Agenor, king of Phoenicia. The beauty of Europa inspired the love of Zeus, who approached her in the form of a white bull and carried her away from Phoenicia to Crete. There she bore Zeus three sons: Minos, ruler of Crete; Rhadamanthys, ruler of the Cyclades Islands; and, according to some legends, Sarpedon, ruler of Lycia. She later married Asterius, the king of Crete, who adopted her sons, and she was worshipped under the name of Hellotis in Crete, where the festival Hellotia was held in her honour. (Encyclopaedia Britannica).
It is said that when Europa died, Zeus transformed her into a star complex and he himself took again the shape of the white bull to merge in the complex. The Taurus Constellation is believed to be the form of Zeus. Today the name Europa has been given to one of Jupiter's 16 moons and in fact this moon is very special, as it is believed to have water on its surface. (Greeka/miths).