noun
- In ancient Sparta, one of five elected magistrates who held executive power and served as a check on the kings.
Usage: historical; usually capitalized when referring to a specific office
Examples
- The ephors of Sparta were responsible for enforcing laws and overseeing the conduct of the kings.
- Each year, five new ephors were elected to govern Spartan affairs.
- The ephors held considerable power in Spartan society, rivaling that of the dual monarchy.
- Ancient historians documented the role of the ephors in maintaining Spartan military discipline.
- The office of ephor was unique to the Spartan political system among Greek city-states.