E'PHORI (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. When or by whom the E. were first instituted, is a point of great uncertainty. Herodotus attributes their creation to Lycurgus, and Aristotle to Theopompus (770-720 n.c.). Their duty was to superintend the internal administration of the state, especially affairs of justice, for which a particular building was assigned them, called the Ephorion• One of their most important functions was the oversight, at least in part, of the educa tion of youth, for we are told by Athenzeus that they inspected the clothing and bed ding of the young men. The E. were five in number; they were elected by and from the people—on which Aristotle observes, that through them the demos enjoyed a partic ipation 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 cognizance and authority. Cicero draws a comparison between the ephoralty of Sparta and the tribunate of Rome, which is not altogether unwarranted by the facts of the case. Ultimately, the kings themselves
became subject to the supervision of the ephori. Cleomenes, for example, was brought before them for bribery; Agesilaus was fined, and Pausanius imprisoned ; and in extreme cases they could prefer charges against them, and have them tried before the supreme criminal court. 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. Muller 'regards the eptiorathy4s " the principle of change in the Spartan constitution, and, in the end, the cause of its dissolution." In the hands of the E., the constitution of Sparta certainly ceased to be a genuine aristoc racy, and became a sort of oligarchy; but this point is involved in much obscurity and perplexity. Their authority, however, was at last destroyed by Agis and Cleomenes, who murdered the E. for the time being, and restored the old Spartan constitution (225 B. c.).