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Death

Paul's death is believed to have occurred after the Great Fire of Rome in July 64 AD, but before the last year of Nero 's reign, in 68 AD. Pope Clement I writes in his Epistle to the Corinthians that after Paul "had borne his testimony before the rulers", he "departed from the world and went unto the holy place, having been found a notable pattern of patient endurance." Ignatius of Antioch writes in his Epistle to the Ephesians that Paul was "martyred", without giving any further information. Tertullian writes that Paul was 'crowned with an exit like John' (Paulus Ioannis exitu coronatur), although it is unclear which John he meant.

Eusebius states that Paul was killed during the Neronian Persecution and, quoting from Dionysius of Corinth, argues that Peter and Paul were martyred "at the same time". This is also reported by Sulpicius Severus, who claimed Peter was crucified while Paul was beheaded. John Chrysostom provides an account of Nero imprisoning Paul, but not of his execution, and no mention of Peter. Lactantius only mentioned ' who first persecuted the servants of God; he crucified Peter, and slew Paul' (Paulum interfecit).

Based on the letters attributed to Paul, Jerome claims Paul was imprisoned by Nero in 'the twenty-fifth year after our Lord's passion' (post passionem Domini vicesimo quinto anno), 'that is the second of Nero' (id est, secundo Neronis), 'at the time when Festus Procurator of Judea succeeded Felix, he was sent bound to Rome, (...) remaining for two years in free custody'. Jerome interpreted the Second Epistle to Timothy to indicate that 'Paul was dismissed by Nero' (Paulum a Nerone dimissum) 'that the gospel of Christ might be preached also in the West'; but 'in the fourteenth year of Nero' (quarto decimo Neronis anno) 'on the same day with Peter, was beheaded at Rome for Christ's sake and was buried in the Ostian way, the thirty-seventh year after our Lord's passion' (anno post passionem Domini tricesimo septimo).

A legend later developed that his martyrdom occurred at the Aquae Salviae, on the Via Laurentina. According to this legend, after Paul was decapitated, his severed head rebounded three times, giving rise to a source of water each time that it touched the ground, which is how the place earned the name " San Paolo alle Tre Fontane " ("St Paul at the Three Fountains"). The apocryphal Acts of Paul also describe the martyrdom and the burial of Paul, but their narrative is highly fanciful and largely unhistorical.