My project analyzes tomb monuments in Rome and its surroundings during the period of Roman hegemony in the Mediterranean (about 200 BCE to 200 CE). The goal of this archaeological synthesis is to create the first historical narrative of the imperial capital that is based primarily on funerary culture. Contrary to conventional histories that are oriented toward turning points, my analysis adopts a long-term perspective. It visualizes the continuous growth and consolidation of Rome’s empire and its effects on an urban population that lived and operated close to its center of power. I am using the Rome Prize to document Rome’s changing funerary culture by visiting extant monuments and sifting through photographic and archaeological archives.