Areopagus, Mars' Hill
rock of ares, a place in athens
Detailed Definition
- 1a rocky height in the city of athens, opposite the western end of the acropolis toward the west
Etymology & Derivation
from ???? (the name of the greek deity of war) and a derivative of g4078
Scholarly Notes
this hill belonged to mars (ares in greek) and was called mars' hill; so called, because, as the story went, mars, having slain halirrhothius, son of neptune, for the attempted violation of his daughter alicippe, was tried for the murder here before twelve gods as judges. this place was the location where the judges convened who, by appointment of solon, had jurisdiction of capital offenses, (as willful murder, arson, poisoning, malicious wounding, and breach of established religious usages). the court itself was called areopagus from the place where it sat. it is also called "areum judicium" (the area of judges) or "curia" (senate or meeting house). to that hill the apostle paul was led not to defend himself before judges but that he might set forth his opinions on divine subjects to a greater multitude of people, flocking together there and eager to hear something new.