Areopagus - Mars Hill Athens, Greece
“And they took him (Paul) and brought him to the Areopagus saying, ‘May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting’” Acts 17:19
While in Athens waiting for Silas and Timothy to catch up with him, Paul engaged the Jews, devout persons and the philosophers who debated in the agora daily. Paul’s message of salvation through Christ provoked the interest of the people of Athens and Paul gave a sermon, recorded in Acts 17, to the men of Athens, the council of the Areopagus. The location of these council meetings from antiquity is associated with the limestone hill to the immediate west of the acropolis in Athens - Mars Hill.
Based on writings from the 1st century BC, there was some sort of structure on the hill. The role of the Council of the Areopagus evolved over time - originally a sort of Supreme Court for Athens, but much less consequential in Paul’s day. In 1651 AD an earthquake impacted this hill and destroyed a church on the slope of the hill - so what we are looking at today is certainly very different than in Pauls time.
There is a large bronze plaque next to the ancient steps up to the top of the hill (now roped off, very worn away and impossibly slippery) that is inscribed with the entirety of Paul’s sermon. There are a set of modern metal steps for the modern tourist. The top of the hill is still very slippery and dangerous in the rain. At the top, its position overlooking the agora on one side and the acropolis above on the other, makes it easy to imagine this being a site of the ancient court of Athens, and to imagine Paul telling of Jesus’ death and resurrection to the people at the cultural and philosophical center of Ancient Greece.
Looking down on Mars Hill from the Propylaea of the Acropolis. Athens, Greece
