High Priests Were Appointed by Roman Rulers, which was not the way the system was supposed to work.

Ananias was one of those appointed for a short term, partly because the appointment was generally made by the Roman Prefect and the Prefect was normally in office just two or three years. Caiaphas was appointed by Pontius Pilate shortly after Pilate’s appointment as Prefect in 18/19AD. Until Pilate’s appointment by Emperor Tiberius, Prefects were normally serving only two or three years, but Tiberius left Pilate in place until c. 38AD. Pilate and Caiaphas worked well together so Caiaphas stayed on as High Priest until Pilate was removed from office by Vitellius, the Roman Legate in Syria, when he also removed Caiaphas. Ananias, the father-in-law of Caiaphas, was a former High Priest who retained influence while Caiaphas was High Priest, heading the Sanhedrin which tried Y’shua and the Apostles, including John, Peter, and Jacob.