Caiaphas as High Priest

In an era when Rome's governors appointed and removed high priests frequently, Caiaphas held the position for eighteen years, surviving under both Valerius Gratus and Pontius Pilate. This longevity required extraordinary diplomatic ability — balancing Jewish religious authority with Roman political demands. In 1990, a limestone ossuary inscribed 'Joseph son of Caiaphas' was discovered in a family tomb south of Jerusalem, containing the bones of a 60-year-old man. It remains one of the most significant New Testament-era archaeological finds.