Mars’ Hill
Mars Hill
( , collis Kartius, Act 17:22, the Areopagus, as in Act 17:19; so called, according to Pausan. 1:28, 5, from the fact that Mars was first judged there), a limestone hill in Athens, northwest of the Acropolis (Herod. 8:52), and considerably lower (Pococke, East, iii, tab. 65), where (even down to the time of the Roman emperors, Gell. 12:7) the most ancient and boasted Athenian supreme tribunal (Tacitus, Annal. 2:55) and court of morals (AEschyl. Eumen. 701; Senec. Tranq. 3; Val. Max. 2:6,4), composed of the mest honorable and upright citizens (Athen. vi, p. 251), and held in the highest regard not only throughout Greece, but even among foreigners (comp. Wetstein, 2:565), had its sessions, to discuss cases of civil and criminal offenses, originally according to the sole law of its own discretion (comp. Aristot. Polit. 2:10; v. 12; Macrob. Saturn. 7:1, p. 204; Quintil. Institut. v. 9; EAlian, V. I. v. 15). After having continued for many centuries in full authority, it fell under some restrictions in the times of the New Test.; but the date of its extinction is unknown. (See Pauly, Real- Encyklop. 1:700 sq.; Doderlein, in the Hall. Encyklop. v. 193 sq.; also Meursii Areopagus, Ludg. Bat. 1624; Bockh, De Areopago, Berol. 1826.) From some part of that hill, but not before the judges (for there is no trace of a regular judicial procedure in the entire narrative), Paul delivered his famous address (Act 17:19 sq.) to his hearers upon the steps and in the valley (comp. Robinson, Researches, 1:10 sq.). SEE AREOPAGUS.
Fuente: Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature
Mars Hill
the Areopagus or rocky hill in Athens, north-west of the Acropolis, where the Athenian supreme tribunal and court of morals was held. From some part of this hill Paul delivered the address recorded in Acts 17:22-31. (See AREOPAGUS)
Fuente: Easton’s Bible Dictionary
MAR’S HILL
See AREOPAGUS.
Fuente: Bridgeway Bible Dictionary
Mars’ Hill
MARS HILL.AV [Note: Authorized Version.] for Areopagus (wh. see).
Fuente: Hastings’ Dictionary of the Bible
Mars’ Hill
marz-hil. See AREOPAGUS.
Fuente: International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
Mars Hill
[AREOPAGUS]
Fuente: Popular Cyclopedia Biblical Literature
Mars Hill
See AREOPAGUS.
Fuente: Concise Bible Dictionary
Mars’ Hill
A hill in Athens.
Act 17:19-34
Fuente: Nave’s Topical Bible
Mars’ Hill
Mars’ Hill. The hill of Mars or Ares, better known by the name of Areopagus, of which hill of Mars or Ares is a translation. The Areopagus was a rocky height in Athens, opposite the western end of the Acropolis. It rises gradually from the northern end, and terminates abruptly on the south, over against the Acropolis, at which point it is about fifty or sixty feet above the valley.
The spot is memorable as the place of meeting of the Council of Areopagus. This body existed as a criminal tribunal before the time of Solon, and was the most ancient and venerable of all the Athenian courts. It consisted of all persons who had held the office of archon, and who were members of the council for life unless expelled for misconduct.
Before the time of Solon, the court tried only cases of willful murder, wounding, poison, and arson: but he gave it extensive powers of a censorial and political nature. The council continued to exist even under the Roman emperors. Its meetings were held on the southeastern summit of the rock. The Areopagus possesses peculiar interest to the Christian as the spot from which St. Paul delivered his memorable address to the men of Athens. Act 17:22-31.
St. Paul “disputed daily” in the “market” or agora, Act 17:17, which was situated south of the Areopagus in the valley lying between this and the hills of the Acropolis, the Pnyx and the Museum. Attracting more and more attention, “certain philosophers of the Epicureans and Stoics” brought him up from the valley, probably by the stone steps, to the Areopagus above, that they might listen to him more conveniently.