AREOPAGUS (5.r e-op'a-gris), an Anglicized form of the original words (rApctos dyos), signify ing the Hill of Ares, or .1Iars. The Council was also termed the Council on .liars Hill; sometimes the L,'Ner Council, From the elevated position where it was held; and sometimes simply, but emphatically, the Council; but it retained, till a late period, the original designation of Mars Hill, being called by the Latins Scopulus Martis, Curia Martis (Juvenal, Sat. and still more liter ally Areum Judicium (Tacit. Anna/. 6:59.
The place and the Council are topics of interest to the biblical strident, chiefly from their being the scene of the interesting narrative and sublime discourse found in Acts xvii, where it appears that the apostle Paul, feeling himself moved, by the evidences of idolatry with which the city of Athens was crowded, to preach Jesus and the res urrection, both in the Jewish synagogues and in the market-place, was set upon by certain Epi curean and Stoic philosophers, and led to the Areopagus, in order that they might learn from him the meaning and design of his new doctrine.
The Areopagites took cognizance of murders. impieties and immoralities; they punished vices of all kinds—idleness included ; they rewarded or assisted the virtuous; they were peculiarly atten tive to blasphemies against the gods, and to the performance of the sacred mysteries. It was, therefore, with the greatest propriety, that Paul was questioned before this tribunal. Whether or not the Apostle was criminally arraigned, as a set ter forth of strange gods, before the tribunal, which held its sittings on the hill. may be con sidered as undetermined, though the balance of evidence seems to incline to the affirmative. Whichever view on this point is adopted, the dig nified, temperate, and high-minded bearing of Paul under the peculiar circumstances in which he was placed are worthy of high admiration, and will appear the inure striking the more the asso ciations arc known and weighed which covered and surrounded the spot where he stood. Nor does his eloquent discourse appear to have been without good effect ; for though some mocked, and some procrastinated, yet others believed, among whom was a member of the Council. 'Dionysius, the Areopagitc,' who has been represented as the first bishop of Athens, and is said to have written books on the 'Celestial Hierarchy:* but their au thenticity is questioned.
The Court. The court of Areopagus was one of the oldest and most honored, not only it, Athens, but in the whole it f Greece, and, indeerl in the ancient world. Through a long suceessioo of centuries it preserved its existence amid changes corresponding with those which the state underwent, till at least the age of the Caesars (Tacitus, Ann. 6:33). The ancients are full of
eulogies on its value, equity, and beneficial in fluence; in consequence of which qualities it was held in so much respect that even foreign states sought its verdict in difficult cases. Like every thing human, however, it was liable to decline, and, after Greece had submitted to the yoke of Rome, retained probably little of its ancient char actor beyond a certain dignity, which was itselt cold and barren.
The origin of the court ascends back into the darkest mythical period. From the first its con stitution was essentially aristocratic; a character which to some extent it retained even after the democratic reforms which Solon introduced into the Athenian constitution. By his appointment the nine archons became for the remainder of their lives Areopagites, provided they had well discharged the duties of their archonship, were blameless in their personal conduct, and had un dergone a satisfactory examination. Its power and jurisdiction were still further abridged by Pericles, through his instrument Ephialtes. Fol lowing the political tendencies of the state, the Areopagus became in process of time less and less aristocratical, and parted piecemeal with most of its important functions. First its political power was taken away, then its jurisdiction in cases of murder, and even its moral influence gradually departed. During the sway of the Thirty Tyrants its power, or rather its political existence, was de stroyed. On their overthrow it recovered some consideration, and the oversight of the execution of the laws was restored to it by an express de cree. Isocrates endeavored by his Areopagite speech to revive its ancient influence. The pre cise time when it ceased to exist cannot be deter mined; but evidence is not wanting to show that in later periods its members ceased to be uniform ly characterized by blameless morals.
It is not easy to give a correct summary of its several functions, as the classic writers are not agreed in their statements, and the jurisdiction of the court varied, as has been seen, with times and circumstances. They have, however, been divided into six general classes: (1) Its judicial function; (2) its political ; (3) its police function ; (4) its religious ; (5) its educational ; and (6) its finan cial. Notices on the subject may be found in the works of Tittman, Heffter, Hudtwalcker, Wachs muth, Pauly, and Winer.