The Danube river is one of the main locations marking the long process of the creation and contestation of European civilization in the late Roman period. As we celebrate the European Union and the political and cultural legacy of Europe today, we take the opportunity to turn back to the historical past and to the gradual formation of Europe in the ancient time period. For this purpose, an academic panel of specialists on the late Roman period will present on different aspects of the society at the time, including art and architecture, the ancient economy, the political and social system, and religion. The participants in this panel will be Dr. Anne Chen (Metropolitan Museum; Brown University); Dr. Hendrik Dey (Hunter College); Justin Dombrowski (PhD candidate at Columbia University); and Dr. Stamenka Antonova (King’s College, NYC). Each speaker will make a short presentation aimed at a general audience and the panel will welcome questions for discussion. This event is organized and sponsored by the Bulgarian Cultural Salon, the Italian Cultural Institute, and the Romanian Cultural Institute.