AREOPAGUS, the designation of the oldest Athenian court of justice. It obtained its name from its place of meeting, on the Hill of Ares (Mars), near the citadel. Its establish ment is ascribed by some to Cecrops, by others to Solon; from the latter, however, it seems to have only received a better constitution and more important privileges, and it is probable that it existed from very remote times. Of how many members it consisted is not now known. A seat in it was held for life. The members were men who in their former ca pacity of archons had rendered themselves worthy of this honor by the honest and diligent execution of their office, and whose character and conduct had been subjected to a particular examination. Aristides called the Areopagus the most sacred tribunal of Greece, and De mosthenes assures us that they never passed a sentence in which both parties did not concur. Crimes tried before the tribunal were wilful murder, poisoning, robbery, arson, dissoluteness of morals and innovations in the state and in religion; at the same time it took care of help less orphans. The other states of Greece some
times submitted their disputes to the judgment of the Areopagus. Its meetings were held in the open air and in the night time. After the investigation of a case the votes were collected. In the time of Pericles its political influence was materially lessened, but it continued a much venerated assemblage, and in Roman times its decisions still commanded respect. The Apostle Paul is sometimes thought to have been brought before this ancient court,. but it is more likely that his famous address on Mars Hill was before an assemblage of philosophers there. Consult Botsford, 'The Athenian Consti tution) (1893) ; Busolt, 'Handbuch' (Nordlin gen 1887); Philippi,
and Epheten' (Berlin 1874) ; Schomann,