San Sebastiano as it stands today, is substantially a modest baroque edifice, but the origins of the basilica are, of course, much older, going back in its foundations to the years 300-350.
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The inside of the current basilica is likewise quite modest in nature (by Roman standards at any rate) with the primary artistic attraction being the spectacular ceiling which includes a beautiful image of St. Sebastian himself.
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It is not art and architecture which brings the pilgrim to this basilica however, it is what lay beneath the ground in the form of the catacombs, including the original burial spot of St. Sebastian himself.
According to tradition, the relics of no less than Ss. Peter and Paul were moved here for a time for their protection during one of the imperial periods of Christian persecution, hence why the original basilica which stood on this site was dedicated to the Apostles: the Basilica Apostolorum. They would be moved back to their original locations by the Emperor Constantine upon the construction of his basilicas dedicated to St. Peter and St. Paul respectively.
For those wondering what the original basilica might have looked like, the following model presents a conjectural view:
One interesting item of paleochristian art that can be found within the current basilica, presently used as a freestanding altar, is this Christian sarcophagus dated to the fifth century. It depicts Christ with Ss. Peter and Paul in the centre, as well as an image of the arrest of St. Peter.
