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Why did Polybius extend the Histories to include the destruction of Carthage in 146 BCE?

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Marble statue of Polybius seated with one arm raised, draped in classical robes, against a blue sky in Vienna, Austria. The base is inscribed with the name Polybius. — Polybius Polybius, statue in Vienna.

Polybius originally intended for his work, The Histories, to cover the 53-year period from 220 to 168 BCE, documenting how Rome established itself as a world power. However, in Book III, he outlined a modified plan for the project.1

He decided to extend the scope of his narrative to include the destruction of Carthage in 146 BCE to provide a comprehensive account of how the Romans exercised their supremacy after achieving dominance. This expansion allowed him to detail the events occurring between 168 and 146 BCE, a period he covered in books XXX through XXXIX.1

It is notable that Polybius was personally present at the siege and destruction of Carthage in 146 BCE, having accompanied the Roman general Scipio Aemilianus, with whom he shared a close friendship and mentorship.2