The Roman Depositio martyrum not only records the date of his feast—as we have already noted—but also indicates the original place of his burial, in the site known as ad catacumbas. From this name later came the term “catacombs,” used for all underground Christian cemeteries. The cemetery where the martyr was buried eventually took his name, and to this day it is still called the “Catacombs of Saint Sebastian.”
Archaeologists argue that if Sebastian was buried in this place, his martyrdom could not have taken place before the 3rd century. In fact, Saint Ambrose—who believed Sebastian was originally from Milan—says that he was a victim of the persecution under Diocletian. This would place his death for the faith at the beginning of the 4th century.
He is one of the most famous martyrs of the Church. However, much of what is traditionally told about his life and death is probably the work of the imagination of a Roman monk from the 5th century.
