I did get the impression that the gospels were written to appeal to the Romans. Pilate's wife is the one who admonishes him to leave Jesus alone, as she has been tormented by dreams. Pilate himself literally washes his hands of the ordeal (I assume this is the origin of the phrase). And, just to hammer the point home, the Jewish priests demand the death of Christ and insist on assuming all of the guilt for it. It is a Roman general who, at the moment of Christ's death, recognizes the signs and declares him the son of God. It is --again-- the Jewish priests who lie about the empty tomb. It is a Roman soldier (general? I don't remember) who prays for guidance, and to whom a chastised Peter delivers the good news of the kingdom. And so on.
They were not being subtle, I'll say that.