Editing Ephor (section)

{{Short description|Magistrates in ancient Sparta}}
{{For|the use of the title in modern Greek archaeology|Ephor (archaeology)}}

{{Spartan Constitution}}
The '''ephors''' were a board of five magistrates in ancient [[Sparta]]. They had an extensive range of judicial, religious, legislative, and military powers, and could shape Sparta's home and foreign affairs.

The word "''ephors''" ([[Ancient Greek]] {{lang|grc|{{linktext|ἔφοροι}}}} ''éphoroi'', plural form of {{lang|grc|{{linktext|ἔφορος}}}} ''éphoros'') comes from the Ancient Greek {{lang|grc|{{linktext|ἐπί}}}} ''epi'', "on" or "over", and {{lang|grc|{{linktext|ὁράω}}}} ''horaō'', "to see", i.e., "one who oversees" or "overseer".<ref>"ephor, n.". OED Online. March 2021. Oxford University Press. https://www.oed.com/view/Entry/63224?redirectedFrom=ephor  (accessed April 04, 2021).</ref> The ephors were a council of five Spartan men elected annually who swore an oath monthly on the behalf of the state. The Spartan kings, however, would swear on behalf of themselves.<ref>[[Xenophon]], ''Constitution of Sparta''. 15.7.[http://data.perseus.org/citations/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0032.tlg010.perseus-eng1:15.7]</ref>

The ephors did not have to kneel before the Kings of Sparta, and were held in high esteem by the citizens because of the importance of their powers and because of the holy role that they earned throughout their functions.<ref name=":02">[[Donald Kagan]], ''The Outbreak of the Peloponnesian War''. p. 29. Ithaca/New York 1969, {{ISBN|0-8014-9556-3}}.</ref>

Several other Greek city-states with a Spartan ancestry also had ephors, such as [[Taranto|Taras]] or [[Cyrene, Libya|Cyrene]].