I've been reading <The Hellenistic Age> By Peter Green. He argues that the diadochoi all have incredible technological and interlectual capabilities. However, these are all undermined by exhaustive wars, disfranchaising of substistance farming, piracy, and the ever burgeoning slave trade. Why use steam engines when you can use poor people and slaves?

In fact, Green suggests that it was within the interests of the Diadochoi to NOT implement these innovations (at least those that doesn't concern with sieges and war) into daily lives: replacing manual labour = more angry people = rebels. They already have their hands full dealing with each other, rebelleous natives/machimoi/greek poleis-krate. In fact, it's the fact they're too busy infighting that the keltoi invasions would be allowed to wreak so much havoc; that they would ignore the rising of the 'Barbaroi' in italia- The Romans.

What was originally perceived as Romans attempting to join the trading sphere of the Hellenes...by the time of Pydna,it was too late.