Areopagus

5 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Areopagus \Ar`e*op"a*gus\, n. [L., fr. Gr. ?, and ? ?, hill of
     Ares (Mars' Hill).]
     The highest judicial court at Athens. Its sessions were held
     on Mars' Hill. Hence, any high court or tribunal.
     [1913 Webster]



From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  Areopagus
       n 1: a hill to the west of the Athenian acropolis where met the
            highest governmental council of ancient Athens and later
            a judicial court
       2: the highest governmental assembly in ancient Athens (later a
          judicial court)

From Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary [easton]:

  Areopagus
     the Latin form of the Greek word rendered "Mars' hill." But it
     denotes also the council or court of justice which met in the
     open air on the hill. It was a rocky height to the west of the
     Acropolis at Athens, on the south-east summit of which the
     council was held which was constituted by Solon, and consisted
     of nine archons or chief magistrates who were then in office,
     and the ex-archons of blameless life.
     
       On this hill of Mars (Gr. Ares) Paul delivered his memorable
     address to the "men of Athens" (Acts 17:22-31).
     

From Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary (late 1800's) [hitchcock]:

  Areopagus, the hill of Mars
  

From Bouvier's Law Dictionary, Revised 6th Ed (1856) [bouvier]:

  AREOPAGUS. A tribunal established in ancient Athens, bore this name. It is
  variously represented; some considered as having been a model of justice and
  perfection, while others look upon it as an aristocratic court, which had a
  very extended jurisdiction over all crimes and offences, and which exercised
  an absolute power. See Acts 17, 19 and 22.