Ive been on both sides of this scenario, and if the villian was opening alot and playing very aggresive like you said then i think he probably had something like AK AQ A 10, something like that. It doesnt seem like he connected with the flop and he seemed confident that you didnt either. But ive been in the villains situation a couple times. Usually i cbet, then if theres a call and no reraise i will double barrel it.  If he calls again then as long as there is nothing to scary out there or he hasnt hit his draw that i think hes on, i will triple barrel it. And just like your villain i do half pot bets when i do this. Its a play that usually works out pretty good most the time, but can also put u in a bad spot.  But im usually pretty skeptical on doing the triple barrel because i start to feel like they are letting me hang myself.

So im thinkin a check raise on the river would have been what i did in that situation. He has already built that pot up so much i think he wouldve tried to take it down after you checked it to him. 

Thats my two cents, im not a pro by no means, and im still learning like everyone else. I may be totally ass backwards in my thought process here lol