Why did Scipio Africanus the Younger help secure the release of Achaean leaders held in Italy?

Scipio Africanus the Younger helped secure the release of Achaean leaders held in Italy primarily due to his close friendship and mentorship with the Greek historian Polybius.12

Polybius was among the 1,000 Achaean leaders who had been deported and detained in Italy without trial following the Third Macedonian War. Scipio and his brother successfully persuaded Roman authorities to allow Polybius to remain in Rome, where he became a significant influence on the young general's character, guiding him in his pursuit of honor, glory, and military success. Through this relationship, Scipio demonstrated the personal morality and generosity that Polybius later emphasized as key aspects of his character.132