I can recall no source for Romans hacking down surrendering Macedonians. What they did do in general was to not actually bother themselves with silly drivel such as rules of war. Their only rule was that they should fight only Ivs Bellvm, and even that got watered down pretty heavily over time. Apart from that, they were extremely ruthless. Some condemn it, but that is how they were. They also did not adhere to the rules of Hellenistic diplomacy and never negotiated from a point of weakness. And very rarely surrendered, that does not exactly equal cowards to me. In fact quite the opposite.

Wonder how they became supreme...

Ever-raging is the consideration in all armies and wars about rules of war and whether you can fight a monster without becoming one.

Keeley has written a good book on tribal warfare and proved that it was much more total than anything we do today and NOT the "ritual dance-battles" that idealistic and romantic antropologers of post WWII thought.

This is definately wandering off topic though.

Back on Pike Pushing.