HELIEA, in Grecian antiquity, was the greatest and most frequented court in Athens for the trial of civil affairs. The judges who sat in it were at least fifty, but the more usual number was either two or five hundred. When causes of great moment were to be tried, it was customary to call in the judges of the other courts: sometimes a thousand were called in, and then two courts are said to have been joined; sometimes fifteen hundred or two thousand were called in, and then three or four courts met together.
They had cognizance of civil affairs of the greatest weight and importance, and were not permitted to give judgment till they had taken a solemn oath to do it with impartiality, and to give sentence according to the laws, &c.