The real political leadership of Sparta free essay sample

The real political leadership of Sparta rested with the elders and the Ephors. To what extent is an accurate description to the government of Sparta? In the Spartan political system, power was divided among kings, Ephors and the Gerousia which was the council of elders. There were five magistrates called Ephors, one that was from each territorial region. It is supposed that the Ephors were established as part of the political system early in the Spartan history. The five Ephors were selected yearly from among the Spartiates. Even though the Ephors could not be re-elected, they obsessed over their significant power and implemented control over most aspects of Spartan Life. Xenophon states in source 3. 5 â€Å"so the Ephors have the power to fine anyone they wish, the right to secure payment on the spot, the right also to dismiss office-holders, and actually to imprison and put them on trial for their lives†. We will write a custom essay sample on The real political leadership of Sparta or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page This tells us that in the political system the Ephors had more power than the kings to make decisions based on judicial and government matters. Plutarch says in Source 3. 7 â€Å"for the institution of Ephors served to reinforce the constitution rather than weaken it, and even though it appeared to be to the people’s advantage, in fact it strengthened the aristocracy’. Here Plutarch is implying that the Ephors wanted to strengthen the constitution so it would keep the government and political system strong and to keep it continuing with the success rate that with was going with the Ephors. In source 3. Aristotle states â€Å"the Ephorate has supreme authority in the most important matters, but its members come from the whole people, so that frequently men who are extremely poor get onto this board, and their poverty used to make them over to bribery†. Aristotle is declaring that the Ephorate’s got people who were poor, bribed them with goods and got them to join their side so there would be more of a bigger and powerful political system. They could have also done this to make them come across as caring for the poor which would have looked good upon the government. The Gerousia was the first significant constitutional innovative institution by Lycurgus. The Gerousia consisted of twenty-eight members, generally any Spartan male could be considered as a member of the Gerousia if he was over the age of sixty. The Gerousia made aristocratic elite, within a society that was apparently equal. It had significant influence and prestige. The Gerousia prepared the business and agenda for the assembly, it had numerous judicial functions and it also deliberated on public policy. The Gerousia filled the role of the Supreme Court. As a supreme court it had the ultimate say as to what was and was not lawful. It was the supreme institution, and could not override any decision by any other organ the supreme political system. Both the Ephors and the Elders (the Gerousia) played a strong and major role in the real political system of Sparta and with the evidence in the sources that have been stated above, they imply the dictatorship towards the political system and the description of the government of Sparta. They also express the roles and responsibilities that both the Ephors and the Elders had towards the government of Sparta, and also the influences that they had articulated towards the government.