Did even intelligent, educated people in Athens follow false religion?

Les explains that Athens was the very seat of culture in those days, with the Parthenon on the Acropolis and Mars Hill halfway up. On the path up to the Acropolis were idols of all their various gods and goddesses. Paul looked out over that pagan city, and his heart sank because the whole city was steeped in idolatry, even though he had seen idolatry everywhere he went. But this was the seat of learning, of intellectual people following such false religion. Les notes that many wonder how intelligent people who can read can follow and believe such drivel, yet they were doing it in Athens as well.