Eph'ori

Eph'ori (Gr., 'overseers'), an order of magistrates in ancient times which appears to have originated at Sparta, and to have been peculiar to the Doric governments. Herodotus attributes their creation to Lycurgus, and Aristotle to Theo- pompus (770-720 B.C.). Their duty was to superintend the internal administration of the state, especially affairs of justice, and to oversee some part of the education of youth. They were five in number, were elected by and from the people—on which Aristotle observes that through them the dēmos enjoyed a participation in the highest magistracy of the state—and held their office only for one year. Their influence gradually increased, for their powers were so ill defined that it was difficult to say what was not under their cognisance and authority. Ultimately the kings themselves became subject to the supervision of the ephori; thus, Cleomenes was brought before them for bribery, Agesilaus was fined, and Pausanias imprisoned. They also transacted the negotiations with foreign powers, subscribed treaties, raised troops, intrusted the army to the king or some other general, and, in fact, acted as the executive of the state. Their authority was at last destroyed by Agis and Cleomenes, who put the whole college to death, and restored the old Spartan constitution (226 B.C.). See Dum, Entwicklung des Spartanischen Ephorats (1878).