1-157-069 - Ann Ronan Picture Library/Heritage-Images

St Sebastian, Christian martyr, mid 19th century. Sebastian (dc288) was a Captain of the Praetorian Guard. The Emperor Diocletian ordered his execution but the archers ordered to carry out the task failed to kill him. A Christian widow nursed Sebastian back to health, and on hearing this Diocletian had him beaten to death. From History of the Acts and Monuments of the Church by John Foxe (1563) popularly called Foxe's Book of Martyrs. The book went through many, many editions, including the mid-19th century one from which this illustration is taken.