An Alexander the Great Question...

So when Alexander the Great died everyone and their mother (literaly in the case of Olympias) tried to claim his vast empire. What I always found odd is the two members of the royal family that weren't used as pawns or otherwise involved: Alexander the Great's niece and nephew by his full sister Cleopatra, Neoptolemus II of Epirusand Cadmeia. Is there a particular reason they weren't involved in the later wars of the Diadochi? I get that they were both very young when their uncle died, but why weren't they used later like their cousins Alexander IV and Heracles and why didn't Neoptolemus II get involved when he grew up ? At the very least you would think he would try to claim Macedon itself, as the closest male relative to Alexander.
 
So when Alexander the Great died everyone and their mother (literaly in the case of Olympias) tried to claim his vast empire. What I always found odd is the two members of the royal family that weren't used as pawns or otherwise involved: Alexander the Great's niece and nephew by his full sister Cleopatra, Neoptolemus II of Epirusand Cadmeia. Is there a particular reason they weren't involved in the later wars of the Diadochi? I get that they were both very young when their uncle died, but why weren't they used later like their cousins Alexander IV and Heracles and why didn't Neoptolemus II get involved when he grew up ? At the very least you would think he would try to claim Macedon itself, as the closest male relative to Alexander.

Well, Cleopatra was Queen of Epirus, her husband Alexander Mollossos was at was against the Samnites in Italy at the time. She really didn't have that much chance of a claim. However, I think she outright refused Alexander's throne. I could be wrong on that last point, but I remember looking into her life. She was much beloved in her kingdom.
 
Well, Cleopatra was Queen of Epirus, her husband Alexander Mollossos was at was against the Samnites in Italy at the time. She really didn't have that much chance of a claim. However, I think she outright refused Alexander's throne. I could be wrong on that last point, but I remember looking into her life. She was much beloved in her kingdom.
IIRC Alexander Mollossos was dead before Alexander of Macedon (yep, checked 331 for the former 323 for the latter). During the period of regeny before the Argead male line was wiped out she was a frequent focus of attention per prospective marrige from quite a few of the Diadochi generals... When Alex IV was knocked off in 309 she was going to go for Ptolemy but got assasinated before it could be carried through.
 
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