A member or judge of the Areopagus, the supreme court of ancient Athens; also, a writer of philosophical or legal works reminiscent of that council's traditions.
From Greek 'Areios pagos' + '-ite' (one belonging to). This term gained scholarly prominence in Renaissance Europe when classical Greek texts were rediscovered and studied intensively.
Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite, a mysterious 6th-century theologian, took this name to give his writings ancient authority—showing how powerful a historical label could be!
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