The tract is named after a speech by Isocrates, a Greek orator of the 5th century. The Areopagus is a hill in Athens, where many councils and tribunals were held. Isocrates wanted to restore one of these tribunals when he wrote the speech. In the speech,Milton argued that the Licensing Order of 1643 should be abolished; censorship had not been part of Greek or Roman societies. Milton uses many passages from the Bible to strengthen his argument. Milton had been censored himself when he tried to publish tracts which were in favor of allowing people to get divorced. 