Pontius Pilate Appointed Prefect

Pontius Pilate becomes the fifth Roman prefect of Judea around 26 CE, and the Pilate Stone discovered at Caesarea Maritima in 1961 is legit one of the most important archaeological finds ever — it's a limestone inscription confirming his exact title and existence. Pilate immediately starts beefing with the Jewish population by bringing Roman standards with emperor images into Jerusalem, which almost causes a riot. This is the guy who'll wash his hands at Jesus' trial, and his track record of bad decisions is well-documented by Josephus and Philo.