I. Church History

According to Ambrose, Sebastian came from Milan and was martyred in Rome (Expositio psalmi CXVIII 20.44; CSEL 62, 466). His legendary Passio (PL 17, 1021–1058) says he came from Narbonne and was an officer in the Praetorian Guard; he was denounced underDiocletian for encouraging Christian martyrs and shot by archers at the emperor’s command, so that the arrows transfixed him “like a hedgehog.” Sebastian survived his wounds but was finally clubbed to d…