Preserving a place is about more than conserving the physical fabric of a building. It requires deliberate care for the life between buildings as well. The technical conservation of Rome’s monuments and buildings, while abiding and largely successful, stands today in stark contrast to the dire condition of its equally historic public spaces. Threading these conditions together are Rome’s enduring traditions of public life. I see these collectively as preservation challenges in dialogue, rooted in questions of equity, public memory, and civic identity. I will explore lessons from successful and failed efforts to treat Rome’s historic urban complex holistically, in search of expansive approaches to preserving the commons. I will produce a series of essays based on ethnographic research, analysis of practices and policies shaping Rome’s historic public spaces, and deep interviews with Roman heritage professionals, civic leaders, and advocates.