How did Polybius gain firsthand knowledge of the destruction of Carthage in 146 BCE?

Polybius gained firsthand knowledge of the destruction of Carthage in 146 BCE because he was present at the siege and destruction of the city.1

His ability to witness this event was facilitated by his close relationship with the Roman general Scipio Aemilianus, whom he served as a mentor. After his period of political detention in Rome had concluded, Polybius joined Scipio at Carthage, allowing him to observe the military operations directly. This commitment to firsthand observation was central to his methodology as a historian; he believed that political and military experience, combined with travel and the questioning of witnesses, were the most essential tasks for a historian to avoid relying on "hearsay at one remove".12