Caiaphas. Joseph ben Caiaphas, known simply as Caiaphas in the New Testament, was the Jewish high priest who, according to the gospels, organized a plot to kill Jesus. He famously presided over the Sanhedrin trial of Jesus. The primary sources for Caiaphas' life are the New Testament and the writings of Josephus. Outside of his interactions with Jesus, little else is known about his tenure as high priest. The 1st-century Jewish historian Josephus is considered the most reliable extra-biblical literary source for Caiaphas. His works contain information on the dates for Caiaphas' tenure of the high priesthood, along with reports on other high priests, and also help to establish a coherent description of the responsibilities of the high-priestly office. Josephus relates that Caiaphas became a high priest during a turbulent period. He also states that the proconsul Lucius Vitellius the Elder deposed Caiaphas' father-in-law, Annas. Josephus' account is based on an older source in which incumbents of the high priesthood were listed chronologically. According to Josephus, Caiaphas was appointed in AD 18 by the Roman prefect who preceded Pontius Pilate, Valerius Gratus. Caiaphas was the son-in-law of Annas the son of Seth. Annas was deposed, but had five sons who served as high priest after him.The terms of Annas, Caiaphas, and the five brothers are: Ananus the son of Seth. Eleazar the son of Ananus. Caiaphas, properly called Joseph son of Caiaphas, who had married the daughter of Annas. Jonathan the son of Ananus. Theophilus ben Ananus. Matthias ben Ananus. Ananus ben Ananus. In November 1990, workers found an ornate limestone ossuary while paving a road in the Peace Forest south of the Abu Tor neighborhood of Jerusalem. This ossuary appeared authentic and contained human remains. An Aramaic inscription on the side was thought to read Joseph son of Caiaphas and on the basis of this the bones of an elderly man were considered to belong to the High Priest Caiaphas. Since the original discovery this identification has been challenged by some scholars on various grounds, including the spelling of the inscription, the lack of any mention of Caiaphas' status as High Priest, the plainness of the tomb, and other reasons. Main article: Miriam ossuary In June 2011, archaeologists from Bar-Ilan University and Tel Aviv University announced the recovery of a stolen ossuary, plundered from a tomb in the Valley of Elah. The Israel Antiquities Authority declared it authentic, and expressed regret that it could not be studied in situ. It is inscribed with the text: Miriam, daughter of Yeshua, son of Caiaphas, Priest of Ma'aziah from Beth Imri. Based on it, Caiaphas can be assigned to the priestly course of Ma'aziah, instituted by king David. Annas, father-in-law of Caiaphas, had been high-priest from A.D. 6 to 15, and continued to exercise a significant influence over Jewish affairs. Annas and Caiaphas may have sympathized with the Sadducees, a religious movement in Judaea that found most of its members among the wealthy Jewish elite. The comparatively long eighteen-year tenure of Caiaphas suggests he had a good working relationship with the Roman authorities. In the Gospel of John, the high priests call a gathering of the Sanhedrin in reaction to the raising of Lazarus.