Pontius Pilate, New Testament

One must wonder how Pontius Pilate, Rome's local representative charged with ruling Judea during the 1st century AD, saw his job. Did he rise every morning happy to be the most powerful single individual in the area, or was he instead concerned with whatever surprising things might arise from ruling this little remnant of Israel? Was it only important that Rome's investment in occupation paid off  every year, or were other considerations also given weight? And was Pilate's position seen as a stepping stone in the Roman Empire, or a backwater, given little attention by those at the top of the Roman power structure?
It's hard to answer these questions with real authority, but it seems reasonable that even occupying powers favor stability among their subjects, and therefore would have known something about the line between mere exploitation and revolution-producing rebellion.  And the Romans were not new to empire building and maintenance.
In Judea, the matter of religion would be a major factor in deciding just how much occupation would be too much. The matter of Jesus would, to Pilate, have been just one more problem arising from the worship of the Jewish god. It's easy to see his reluctance to make new enemies by using violence against  a new class of victims. On the other hand, it must have become clear as Pilate all but begged the Passover mob for moderation, that the Jewish leaders had somehow convinced their followers that Jesus would have to die.
It wasn't that Pilate wasn't capable of violence, or even reluctant about it. But somewhere in his mind was the thought that one will more likely inflame by acting than by letting things pass with little or no public censure. He had also met and spoke with Jesus, and might have been impressed that this man, despite his tiny following and apparent nonviolent nature was no ordinary person.
But mob rule, though we hate the concept, was more likely to be the determining factor, even in the Roman Empire. Pilate did what he could to avoid responsibility for crucifying this man about whom he probably knew little. But in the end, he folded, choosing to tie himself  more closely to local  pharisees hoping to avoid revolt. Doubtless the crucifixion of Jesus went onto some kind of administrative report duly sent on to Rome, where it was probably marked "case closed" and forgotten.