The fact that the office is also known to Thera (founded in the seventh century?) and Cyrene, founded in 632 BC. AD, seems to confirm the ancient date, but the ephors are not mentioned where one would expect them to be: in the “Great Rhetra”, a collection of Spartan laws that could date back to around 700 BC. Note[Plutarch, Lycurgus 6.] Even the Spartan poet Tyrtaeus, a contemporary of King Theopompus, does not mention the ephors. Nevertheless, it is fascinating that the ephors exchanged oaths of allegiance with the two kings—every month, according to Xenophonnote [Xenophon, Spartan Constitution 15:7.]—because it suggests that the ephors were originally named by the kings and not by Apella, the popular assembly. This indicates an archaic origin. The Ministry of Culture and Sports of the Hellenic Republic contains several regional ephorates that carry out the management of archaeological research in their respective regions.[52] The origin of the ephorate is unknown. In the middle of the fifth century, the Greek explorer Herodotus of Halicarnassus wrote that it had been introduced by Lycurgus, the legendary legislator of Sparta, portrayed by Herodotus as a contemporary of kings Leo and Agasicles in the first half of the sixth century BC. Note[Herodotus, Histories 1.65.] Later authors, such as the philosophers Aristotle and Plutarch, believe that the Ephorate was an earlier development, dating to the reign of King Theomamphusus around 700 BC. Note[Aristotle, Policy 1313a27; Plutarch, Lycurgus 7.] According to Plutarch, it was Theopompus [3], king of Sparta, who established this supreme magistracy. When, according to Plutarch, this prince himself considered the power of kings and the senate excessive, he established the authority of the ephors as a counter-power about 130 years after Lycurgus. Moreover, when his wife accused him of having left her children much less royal authority than he had inherited, Theopompus gave this glorious reply: “On the contrary, I will leave her all the more as it will take longer.” Certainly, for a long time, this institution served to keep the monarchy and the Senate within the limits of tolerance and moderation. The same ephor asked him if he did not regret his temerity now. The Lacedaemonians, however, refused to abandon the Boeotian alliance—the party of Xenares, the Ephorus, and those who shared their views and endured the day on this point—but renewed the oaths at the request of Nicias, who feared to return without having accomplished anything and to embarrass himself; for it was indeed his destiny, since he was the author of the contract with Lacedaemon.

The ephors did not have to kneel before the kings of Sparta and were held in high esteem by the citizens for the importance of their power and the sacred role they deserved during their office. [3] The ephors were elected chiefs of ancient Sparta and its colonies Taras and Heraclea, sharing power with the two Spartan kings. The word “epheroes” (Ancient Greek ἔφοροι ephoroi, plural form of ἔφορος ephoros) comes from the ancient Greek ἐπί epi, “on” or “above”, and ὁράω horaō, “to see”, i.e. “one who supervises” or “overseer”. [1] The ephors were a council of five Spartan men who were elected annually and sworn in monthly on behalf of the state. However, Spartan kings would swear to themselves. [2] The ephors were in use for one year out of twelve or thirteen lunar months. They could not be re-elected. During their tenure, they were safe from persecution, but they could be tried by their successors.

In classical times, the five ephors of Sparta, chosen by and by the Spartans (full male citizens)[Aristotle, Politics 1270b27.] had several tasks. The name, which means “overseer,” suggests that they first had to control something, such as the market or the cadastre. Alternatively, they may have supervised the homeland while the kings were abroad (for example, during a war). The five men were also responsible for declaring war on the Knifens each year, a ritual that ensured that Spartans who accidentally killed a helot would not be punished as murderers. Foteini Zafeiropoulou is ephemeral of antiquities in the Greek archaeological service. It is possible that the number of five ephors has something to do with the fact that Sparta was not a real city, but consisted of five smaller cities. It would also indicate a very early origin, before Sparta was really united; In fact, it may be that the creation of the College of Ephores was a step towards unification. If Herodotus can be trusted, the Ephoras and Gerousia, the council of elders, could give orders to the Spartan kings, note [Herodotus, Histories 5:39.] and supervise the war. Note[Herodotus, Histories 9.76.] The ephors also received foreign ambassadors.

Note[Xenophon, Hellenica 2.2.13.] All this indicates that they represented the people. This is confirmed by the fact that the President of the Ephoric College was also the President of the People`s Assembly. Note [Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War 1.87.] The presiding judge was also the judge of the same name, meaning he gave his name to a year. For example, the Archidamian War broke out in the year that Enesiah was Ephor (431). Note [Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War 2.2.] With these words, like Ephor himself, he put the question to the assembly of Lacedaemonians. According to Pausanias, the ephors were used with gerousia at the Supreme Criminal Court of Sparta. This included presiding over treason, murder and other crimes that carried harsh penalties. These punishments included exile, death and deprivation of rights. [24] In the thirteenth year of Darius` reign, while Alexippidas was ephor at Lacedaemon, a convention was concluded on the plain of Meander by the Lacedaemonians and their allies with Cleomenes III, who created the position of Ephor in 227 BC. AD and replaced it with a position called Patronomos. Cleomenes` coup d`état resulted in the death of four of the five ephors, as well as ten other citizens.

His abolition of the Ephorate allowed him to consolidate his role as king and prevent anyone from stopping his political reforms.[13] However, the ephorate was restored by the Macedonian king Antigonus III Doson after the Battle of Sellasia in 222 BC. AD [14] Although Sparta died in 146 BC. J.-C. Falling under Roman rule, the position lasted until the 2nd century AD, when it was probably abolished by the Roman emperor Hadrian and replaced by imperial rule as part of the province of Achaia. [15] The Ephores, along with the Gerousia, had the majority of power in the Spartan government, as both kings had to consult the Ephoras or Gerousia on almost all official matters. The ephors also had power over the Helots and Perioeci. They controlled the crypteia, the secret police that oppressed the helots, and they were even able to sentence Perioeci to death without trial. Aelian also tells us about some character traits in his wisdom. When one day, in the heat of party discord, Klazomenians [4] had poured dirt on the seats of the ephors, these magistrates punished them simply by simply announcing throughout the city of Sparta that such foolish actions would be allowed to the Klazomenians. The Ephoros could also intervene in the event of a “disturbance of public order”. This included the indirect punishment of minor Spartans for their crimes against Sparta. This form of retaliation would involve punishing boys (adult lovers).

[32] When men between the ages of twenty and thirty (known as Hebontes) committed crimes, they were brought before the Padonomos, a judge charged with supervising the education of young people in the agogue. Thanks to this system, the ephors were able to directly punish the Hebonts by imposing heavy fines. [33] Ephorus. A Spartan judge [1]. The word comes from εφοραν, to observe, formed by the preposition επι (on ), and the verb (όραν to see), thus (εφορος) specifically means a superior, an inspector. The ephors were therefore the inspectors of the whole republic. They obtained this honor by appointment by the people; But their responsibility lasted only one year. According to Plutarch,[20] the ephors declared war on the helote population pro forma every autumn in the crypt, so that any Spartan citizen could kill a helot without fear of blood guilt.