ephor
Lacedaemonian elected official
An ephor was one of five annually elected magistrates in ancient Sparta who held significant power alongside the kings, overseeing government and checking royal authority.
The term occasionally appears in discussions of political systems where elected officials balance hereditary power: The ephors could even put a king on trial.
Ancient Greek warrior state
- helotState-owned serf
- agogeGreek training regimen
- LacedaemonAncient Greek city-state
- LaconiaPeloponnesian region around Sparta
oligarchy · helotry · hoplite · phalanx · Peloponnesian · Thermopylae · Leonidas
Advisory deliberative group
- constitutionInherent physical or structural makeup
- executiveSenior organizational leader
- administrationOrganizational oversight and control
- senateLegislative governing body
policy · jurisdiction · civic · sovereignty · collegial · annual · elected · statecraft
Overseeing people or processes
- magistrateCivil judicial officer
- scrutinyClose, careful examination
- watchfulnessCareful, sustained attention
- accountabilityObligation for one's actions
monitoring · inspection · authority · check · balance · audit · review · regulation
Sparta
Ancient Greek warrior state
- helotState-owned serf
- agogeGreek training regimen
- LacedaemonAncient Greek city-state
Laconia · oligarchy · helotry · hoplite · phalanx · Peloponnesian · Thermopylae · Leonidas
council
Advisory deliberative group
- constitutionInherent physical or structural makeup
- executiveSenior organizational leader
- administrationOrganizational oversight and control
senate · policy · jurisdiction · civic · sovereignty · collegial · annual · elected · statecraft · regime
supervision
Overseeing people or processes
- magistrateCivil judicial officer
- scrutinyClose, careful examination
- watchfulnessCareful, sustained attention
accountability · monitoring · inspection · authority · check · balance · audit · review · regulation · surveillance
polis
Greek sovereign urban center
Hellenic · agora · Acropolis · Aristotle · Plato · Xenophon · Thucydides · Herodotus · oracle · philosophy
- ancient GreeceAthens, Sparta, Zeus, Parthenon, Acropolis
- ancient titlesconsul, pharaoh, praetor, vizier, tribune
- historical officialspraetor, consul, censor, tribune, prefect
- Greek officialsarchon, tetrarch, hegemon, tyrant
- historical rulersJulius Caesar, Charlemagne, Napoleon Bonaparte, Cleopatra, Alexander the Great
- Lawmensheriff, constable, marshal, deputy, lawman