Boyd’s Bible Dictionary:
(city of Athena, or Minerva). Capital of Attica and chief seat of Grecian learning and civilization. Situated in S. E. part of the Grecian Peninsula, five miles from its seaport, the Piraeus. Paul preached on its Areopagus or Mars’ Hill (Acts 17:19-22), and founded a church there.
Concise Bible Dictionary:
The chief city of Attica, and the seat of Grecian learning and art. The city was wholly given to idolatry, and the people spent their time in strolling about and asking “what news?” Paul labored alone in Athens, while he waited for Silas and Timothy, and sought to reason with the Jews in their synagogue and in the market daily; then certain philosophers took him to Mars’ Hill, where he delivered his memorable address to polished but heathen hearers. There was some fruit of his labors (Acts 17:15-22; Acts 18:1; 1 Thess. 3:1). Athens was an ancient city, and experienced many changes and different forms of government.
It surrendered to Sulla the Roman general in B.C. 86 and became a part of the Roman empire, but in A.D. 267 it was besieged by the Goths, and in 396 was taken by Alaric, king of the Visigoths. Taken by Mahomet II in 1456, and became the capital of the kingdom of modern Greece in 1833. It gradually lost all its renown, and the houses became roofless and in ruins. In 1834 the Greek king Otho encouraged the rebuilding of the city, and from that date it has again gradually become a populous city.
Strong’s Dictionary of Greek Words:
Meaning:
plural of Ἀθήνη (the goddess of wisdom, who was reputed to have founded the city); Athenoe, the capitol of Greece
Jackson’s Dictionary of Scripture Proper Names:
uncertainty
Potts’ Bible Proper Names:
Arriving; without increase:―the capital of Greece, Acts 17:15. {Adveniens}
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