A machine for the surface treatment of a cylinder includes a first operative station for supporting the cylinder and for bringing it into rotation around its longitudinal axis, and at least a second operative station cooperating with the first station for generating and emitting, by means of an optical fiber apparatus, pulsed laser radiations randomly striking the surface of the cylinder and defining a desired roughness on the same surface; the second station being adjustably coupled with the first station in a first direction parallel with respect to the axis of the cylinder and carrying one or more pulsed laser radiation emitting heads, and slidingly assembled with respect to the cylinder in a second direction perpendicular to the axis of the cylinder.