Alexander IV exiled to Rome?

Say somehow the assassin who poisons Alexander IV and his mother, Roxana fails or is found out? Let's also say that they flee and are pursued by Cassander's men until they end up settling in Italia.

Now, I know regaining any claims to the Macedonian Empire from the Roman Republic isn't going to happen, but what would his life actually look like?

While probably ineligible for the nobility or to hold office (I believe) my thinking was for him to become an officer fighting in the Third Samnite Wars, possibly leading troops who immigrated from his father's former armies out of loyalty (how many Macedonian and/or Persian troops might migrate to fight for Alexander IV) and marrying into the nobility and producing heirs who might one day form an Imperial Republic or some type of Constituional Monarchy a la Caesar...

Is it possible and if so, what might happen?
 
Well, for one, I doubt they would choose Rome in the first place. More likely (if they were to choose Italy al all), they would head to one of the principal Greek city-states, Syracuse, Taranto or maybe Naples.

Secondly, him being the son of Alexander would give him enormous clout, far more than any of the diadochi. Cassander would probably have to deny he tried to kill them in the first place, or, if he doesn't and still marries Alexander’s half-sister Thessalonica, may very well loose his position and life.

All of the diadochi may have to pay lip service to Alexander and still refer to him as their King - not doing so would bring them a whole lot of trouble for very little gain.

Once he grows up, Alexander is highly likely going to have to pick a side, or even have that side picked for him, as elements of his father's army, led by ambitious officers seeking to advance their own position, rebel in his name against their diadochi masters.
 
Well, for one, I doubt they would choose Rome in the first place. More likely (if they were to choose Italy al all), they would head to one of the principal Greek city-states, Syracuse, Taranto or maybe Naples.

Secondly, him being the son of Alexander would give him enormous clout, far more than any of the diadochi. Cassander would probably have to deny he tried to kill them in the first place, or, if he doesn't and still marries Alexander’s half-sister Thessalonica, may very well loose his position and life.

All of the diadochi may have to pay lip service to Alexander and still refer to him as their King - not doing so would bring them a whole lot of trouble for very little gain.

Once he grows up, Alexander is highly likely going to have to pick a side, or even have that side picked for him, as elements of his father's army, led by ambitious officers seeking to advance their own position, rebel in his name against their diadochi masters.

Interesting; so earlier Roman expansion is possible under Alexander IV and/or his half Roman heir?

In your opinion, how much of his father's territories in Europe can he claim or take bloodlessly for Rome? My thinking was that with him coming of age in exile in Italia, he probably won't automatically inherit his father's territories and be forced to unite the Italian tribes on his own.

If he cannot automatically gain his father's territory and does take control of the Roman government, can we expect a campaign of conquest in Iberia, Gaul, and the British Isles earlier than OTL? May we expect a Roman dynasty descended from Alexander the Great, Oxyartes, and Roman nobility?
 
There is no reason he would go to Rome. As Magnum pointed out, he would almost certainly go to Tarentum, Syracuse, or any of the other Greek city states. If push comes to shove, he might even go to Carthage. But Rome is one small rather unimportant (from the point of view of a Macedonian or Greek at least) tribe in Italy. Remember, Pyrrhus came into Italy expecting to be fighting just another barbarian Italian tribe. They are not as powerful as the Samnites, and the Etruscans have much more cultural and trading ties to the Greeks. Plus, Tarentum and/or Syracuse is much more powerful. Rome is still insignificant to anyone outside the tribes of Italy until they start eyeing Magna Graecia much later.
 
There is no reason he would go to Rome. As Magnum pointed out, he would almost certainly go to Tarentum, Syracuse, or any of the other Greek city states. If push comes to shove, he might even go to Carthage. But Rome is one small rather unimportant (from the point of view of a Macedonian or Greek at least) tribe in Italy. Remember, Pyrrhus came into Italy expecting to be fighting just another barbarian Italian tribe. They are not as powerful as the Samnites, and the Etruscans have much more cultural and trading ties to the Greeks. Plus, Tarentum and/or Syracuse is much more powerful. Rome is still insignificant to anyone outside the tribes of Italy until they start eyeing Magna Graecia much later.

Well, I hate throw an "exactly" at you, but what you've just described is exactly why it would be attractive.

Say after the poisoning attempt they flee to Greece proper where Cassander tries one last attempt on their lives. The assassin is thwarted but they discover that they are in no way safe within the borders of Alexander's former Empire. Carthage is not friendly to them, so they go to a backwater called Rome.

Roxana might marry into the elite and the noble adopts Alexander, who has grand military and political ambitions.

Fighting in the war (at the age of twenty five) that solidifies Roman hegemony over the peninsula looks good on Alex 4 and he becomes something of a local hero.

Meanwhile Persian and Macedonian veterans loyal to the idea of Alexander as the one true heir are pouring into Rome to serve in his legion.

If anything, I would think it would be his half-Roman son who begins the Empire and begins the expansion, not him, but with his father's former soldiers now "Roman" and lands his father once held rebelling against the satraps to join with Alexander's Imperial Republic of Rome... Well it was a good backwater to flee to.

In addition, I find it reasonable that any land an earlier Roman Empire under an Alex would want, it could realistically take; especially taking into account the swelling of numbers brought by Persian and Macedonian volunteers.

It's not so far fetched, especially when one brings up the points you do about Rome being remote, unremarkable, and insular. By the time he's thirty or forty, however, Rome is a force with which to be reckoned.

I'm more interested in how the political climate looks; how it's molded. Say he and his mother marry into the gens Iulia. He has riches, legitimate clout, military experience, massive popularity, and an unbeatable volunteer army to add to his legions. If he turns out to be a pretty good guy and keeps the senate, consulate (as prime ministers) and doesn't change too many laws, he could be a beloved ruler for years until his descendants are.
 
Well, I hate throw an "exactly" at you, but what you've just described is exactly why it would be attractive.

Say after the poisoning attempt they flee to Greece proper where Cassander tries one last attempt on their lives. The assassin is thwarted but they discover that they are in no way safe within the borders of Alexander's former Empire. Carthage is not friendly to them, so they go to a backwater called Rome.
Nothing in Magnae Graecia is in the borders of Alexander's Empire.

Roxana might marry into the elite and the noble adopts Alexander, who has grand military and political ambitions.
The Romans and kings don't mix well, especially this early.

Fighting in the war (at the age of twenty five) that solidifies Roman hegemony over the peninsula looks good on Alex 4 and he becomes something of a local hero.

Meanwhile Persian and Macedonian veterans loyal to the idea of Alexander as the one true heir are pouring into Rome to serve in his legion.
If anything, I would think it would be his half-Roman son who begins the Empire and begins the expansion, not him, but with his father's former soldiers now "Roman" and lands his father once held rebelling against the satraps to join with Alexander's Imperial Republic of Rome... Well it was a good backwater to flee to.
Again, this is practically impossible. The Romans would never accept a king, the closest thing to it being not until Diocletian-over 500 years later.
In addition, I find it reasonable that any land an earlier Roman Empire under an Alex would want, it could realistically take; especially taking into account the swelling of numbers brought by Persian and Macedonian volunteers.
It just doesn't make sense. First of all, if Alexander IV escapes, the most likely he would go is to well...some other diadochoi in the empire. They would be more than willing to use him as their political pawn to attack Cassander. Or he would go to a Greek city state. If he doesn't feel safe in Tarentum or Syracuse (highly unlikely considering I doubt Cassander has any connections in say, Syracuse) there's always other states like Massalia to go to, and of course, Carthage. I highly doubt Rome would even take him in-a renegade king on the run trying to seek refuge and start a dynasty in the place that just through off the yoke of their king less than 200 years ago- and might even kill him.

It's not so far fetched, especially when one brings up the points you do about Rome being remote, unremarkable, and insular. By the time he's thirty or forty, however, Rome is a force with which to be reckoned.

But Rome would never take him in, and there are so many other places he would probably go to.
 
So, while not absolutely impossible; so improbable as to be a nonstarter...

Honestly, that really bums me out. The implications of a Roman nobility descended from Alexander was extremely interesting to me.

Well, since you seem to know quite a bit (and I believe that you do, no sarcasm) and clearly know where I'm going with this I have two questions.
I'm thinking of doing some research into antiquity (which I'm fascinated by but know far less about than I'd like) for the next two or three years with the eventual result being a timeline involving a slightly longer lived Alexander the Great. As I said, I won't be ready for a few years, but the idea is that Alexander solidifies control of Arabia before he dies.

He marries and has a son with the daughter of a (I'm thinking Kindite?) tribal chieftain who assisted him in taking the southwest. Alexander IV and his mother survive and go into exile. These two lines will become important later on on their respective continents.

I'm digressing. My questions to you (and anyone else with knowledge) are:

1. I need a place as interesting as Rome but more likely. Cassander has to survive to cause trouble but Alexander IV and Roxana must survive. Any ideas as to an interesting and plausible place for them to go?

2. Suggestions for good sources of detailed history on The Alexandrian and Hellenistic Eras? Online or literary, either or both is fine.

And thanks for your help.
 
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