Peter and Paul ad catacumbas : a pozzolana mine reconsidered

The site and excavations of S. Sebastiano at the third mile of the via Appia has been discussed in literally hundreds of publications due to its importance for our understanding of the cult of the martyr saints Peter and Paul. It is a major focus of my larger project, which examines the relationship between early Christians and their non- Christian surroundings through the study of the interaction between different social groups in a small but intensively used part of the Roman suburbium, generously funded by the Leverhulme foundation.1 The present paper can only outline one element of the larger argument. I shall start with a brief overview of the history of the site, then discuss the most popular interpretation offered for the cult of the apostles Peter and Paul at this location, and finally present some of my own readings of the remains in their wider context.