Government of Sparta

Lycurgus (; ) was the legendary lawgiver of Sparta, credited with the formation of its (), involving political, economic, and social reforms to produce a military-oriented Spartan society in accordance with the Delphic oracle. The Spartans in the historical period honoured him as a god.

The ephors were a board of five magistrates in ancient Sparta. They had an extensive range of judicial, religious, legislative, and military powers, and could shape Sparta's home and foreign affairs.

Spartan general and regent (died c. 477 BC)

The Gerousia (Γερουσία), (also called the Spartan Senate) was the council of elders in the ancient Greek city-state of Sparta. It was a prestigious body, holding important judicial, legislative, and supervisory powers. During the Archaic and Classical periods, the Gerousia consisted of the two Spartan kings, plus twenty-eight adult male citizens (Spartiates) called gerontes (γέροντες, singular: γέροντ, geront). The gerontes were required to be at least sixty years old, were elected by acclamation, and held office for life. Following the Classical period, its membership, minimum age, and tenure

deliberative assembly

Regent of Sparta between 480 and 479 BC

Spartan Constitution or an oracle of Delphi

attempted coup in ancient Sparta

Theras () was a regent of Sparta, a son of Autesion and the brother of Aristodemos' wife Argeia, a Cadmid of Theban descent. He served as regent for his nephews Eurysthenes and Procles.

Xenelasia (, ) or xenelasy was the practice in ancient Doric Crete and Lacedæmonia of expelling foreigners deemed injurious to the public welfare. The isolationist customs of Sparta (which included discouraging Spartan citizens from traveling outside the commonwealth) may also sometimes be referred to as xenelasia. The majority of ancient Greek authors attribute the codification of this practice to Lycurgus.

Epitadeus was an early 4th-century BCE Spartan ephor, who strengthened class distinctions by allowing gifts of land to independent citizens (Spartiates). This 4th century rhetra allowed the Spartiatai to dispose of their private land at will rather than by conventional hereditary descent. This information is derived from a passage Plutarch's Life of Agis, who describes Epitadeus as headstrong and violent, and changing the rule as the result of a quarrel with his son. Epitadeus is mentioned by no other ancient sources, and may well be a fictional character employed to explain the decline in the

ancient torture device

Document outlinining Spartan society and eugenics