Medieval Europe: What is Europe? This can be a problematic concept.
Is it a geographical expression?
Is it an identity?
Is it a political unit?
Is it a confession of belief in some way?
In Medieval Europe people did not refer to the 'idea' of Europe. They recognized themselves by their home countries.
Christopher Marlowe said that Europe was "Infinite riches in a little room". Part of the reason is that Europe has a temperate climate, it has almost always been able to feed itself, and is the only continent in the world without a desert.
The Ancient Greeks divided the world into Asia, Africa, and Europe. The word Europe is a term the Romans came up with from the word Europa, who was a daughter of a King who was raped by Zeus. Descendants of this twisted relationship were called Europeans.
(An interesting note, modern Englanders do not consider themselves Europeans, they are English! Others are Europeans.)
*Notes taken from class lecture: Dr. Paul Dover, Kennesaw State University
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