"Did Jesus really rise from the dead?"

Mathew 27:62-66
"...The next day, the one after Preparation Day, the chief priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate. “Sir,” they said, “we remember that while he was still alive that deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise again.’ So give the order for the tomb to be made secure until the third day. Otherwise, his disciples may come and steal the body and tell people that he has been raised from the dead. This last deception will be worse than the first.”
... ‘Take a guard,’ Pilate answered. ‘Go, make the tomb as secure as you know how.’ So they went and made the tomb secure by putting a seal on the stone and posting the guard."

Mathew 28: 6 "...He is not here; he has risen, just as he said."

Mathew 28:12-15
"...When the chief priests has met with the elders and devised a plan, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money, telling them, “You are to say,’ His disciples came during the night and stole him away while we were asleep.’ If this report gets to the governor, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.” So the soldiers took the money and did as they were instructed. And this story has been widely circulated among the Jews to this day."
NB. A Roman guard was typically made up of 4-12 soldiers, the penalty for falling asleep while on duty was crucifixion or being burnt to death. The Roman centurian's reputation was a reflection of the strength of the Roman Empire at the time. The tomb was also sealed with a Roman seal and the penalty for breaking the seal without proper authority was crucifixion upsidedown. Sources: McDowell, J. The Resurrection Factor, Amersham-on-the-Hill, England, 1993, Clifford, R. The Case for the Empty Tomb, 2nd ed. Albatross Books, Australia, 1993

The ultimate proof that Jesus rose from the dead is revealed by the plain fact that the Romans could not produce the body in the face of Christian claims Jesus rose from the dead. If the body was still in the tomb those against this new faith (both Romans and the Jewish leaders) could have easily proved the apostles wrong and stopped the spread of Christianity in its infancy. And our modern day calendar system would not be based on His birthday!