Mars’ Hill
Summary
Mars' Hill, also known as the Areopagus, was a rocky outcrop in Athens where the apostle Paul delivered his famous sermon to the Athenian philosophers.
☩Location and History
Mars' Hill, or Areopagus (Greek for 'Hill of Ares'), is a rocky height in Athens situated opposite the western end of the Acropolis. The hill rises gradually from the northern end and terminates abruptly on the south, standing about fifty to sixty feet above the valley at its highest point. This site was home to the Council of Areopagus, the most ancient and venerable of Athenian courts, which existed as a criminal tribunal before the time of Solon. The council consisted of all persons who had held the office of archon, serving as members for life unless expelled for misconduct. Originally trying cases of murder, wounding, poison, and arson, the court later received broader censorial and political powers.
☩Paul's Address
The Areopagus holds special significance for Christians as the place where Paul addressed the men of Athens. After disputing daily in the agora (marketplace) below, Paul attracted the attention of Epicurean and Stoic philosophers who brought him up from the valley to Mars' Hill to hear his teaching more conveniently. There Paul delivered his sermon beginning with the observation of an altar 'To the Unknown God,' which became the starting point for proclaiming the true God who made the world and all things in it. Though some mocked when he spoke of resurrection, others believed, including Dionysius the Areopagite.