Ancient Sparta elected five ephors each year.
The ephors were senior magistrates who helped supervise the Spartan state. Their office became especially important because ephors could hold the kings and other officials accountable. The five-person board acted collectively rather than as a single ruler.
Ephors had broad responsibilities. They oversaw domestic administration, presided over meetings, supervised education and discipline, and could influence foreign policy. They also had the authority to bring charges against kings, although the exact procedures and political realities varied across periods.
The number five is sometimes confused with other Spartan numbers. Sparta had two kings, and its Gerousia consisted of 28 elected elders plus the two kings. The five ephors were a separate annual magistracy and were not members of the Gerousia simply because both institutions shared political authority.