The author analyses the importance of courage and cowardice in Spartan ideology trying to explain the status of tresantes who suffered infamy and severe punishment for cowardice on a battlefield. Contrary to common in science beliefs, the author thinks that the Spartans differentiated punishment towards tresantes and that pragmatism dominated in their evaluations. According to the author, the attitude to cowardice and cowards in Sparta was generally the same as in other Greek states. The differences resulted mainly from maximalisation of Hoplic ideology. The author claims that the statement that a Spartan returned from war „with a shield or on a shield” was created as an element of the Spartan legend late (maybe in 2nd century AD). The article also includes general remarks on Spartan military and the state of research on war and military in ancient Greece.
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