Areopagus

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

1. n. The highest judicial and legislative council of ancient Athens.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. n. A rocky hill in Athens, situated immediately to the west of the Acropolis; hence, the sovereign tribunal or council of elders which held its sittings on this hill from unrecorded antiquity. Though modified several times in its constitution, notably by Solon and Ephialtes, the Areopagus always retained the highest reputation for dignity, justice, and wisdom. Its functions were at once religious, political, and judicial; the scope of its action was thus much wider than that of a supreme court of the present day, extending not only to jurisdiction in cases of homicide and some others in which religion was concerned, and to a general censorship of all affairs of state, but even to the supervision of education, and to certain police and sumptuary regulations. In historic times the Areopagus was constituted of all archons, after their year of office, who had successfully proved themselves guiltless of malfeasance, in accordance with the provisions of law.
2. n. Hence Any body, company, or tribunal of which the decisions, opinions, or criticisms are final or carry great weight: as, the Areopagus of public opinion.

Wiktionary

1. n. The supreme judicial and legislative council of ancient Athens

GNU Webster's 1913

1. n. The highest judicial court at Athens. Its sessions were held on Mars' Hill. Hence, any high court or tribunal.

WordNet 3.0

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