Ancient History Assignment What was the role and the authority of the ephors in the Spartiate Constitution? In ancient Sparta the office of ephor was both the most interesting and the most obscure of the offices under the Spartan constitution. It seems that the ephors became more important and gained more and more political power as the history of Sparta proceeded. According to tradition, the order was established at the time of the first Spartan …showed first 75 words of 551 total…

…showed last 75 words of 551 total…to summon meetings of the Gerousia and of the Assembly. The ephorate, therefore, undoubtedly possessed great power. But it was limited in an important way by the fact that the Assembly elected the ephors. In practice it is fairly clear that the ephorate had the political power and influence in time of peace, and the kings had the authority in war, although the ephors always keep a close eye on the doings of the kings.