VALPARAISO | Depictions of children in ancient Greece, the Roman Colosseum and the Dionysos theatre at the Acropolis will be discussed during a series of lectures sponsored by Valparaiso University's chapter of the Archaeological Institute of America this year.

The annual series begins with the lecture "Children in Athenian Funerary Art during the Peleponnesian War" on Sept. 23. John Oakley, a professor of classical studies at the College of William and Mary, will present his talk at 8 p.m. in the Valparaiso Union on campus.

The lecture is free and open to the public.

Oakley will discuss the depiction of children in Athenian funerary art during the time of the Peloponnesian War (431 to 404 BC) and how Athens' artisans began representing children more frequently in their art due to the increased importance of children to the continuation of the polis. He also will examine how wars produced a similar artistic and literary movement in Europe during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Oakley is the author of "Coming of Age in Ancient Greece: Images of Childhood from the Classical Past" and "The Wedding in Ancient Athens." He has prepared exhibitions of Athenian vases, women in classical Greece and coming of age in ancient Greece.

Other programs during this year's lecture series are:

Oct. 22 - "Building the Colosseum," presented by Lynne Lancaster, professor of classics at Ohio University. Lancaster will discuss her recent research on the Colosseum as well as that of other scholars, including the political symbolism of the building, its water supply system and insight into the sea battles said to have taken place these, and the building's reaction to past earthquakes.

April 20 - "The Classical Greek Theatre: Architecture, Performance, Cult," presented by Dr. Hans Goette of the German Archaeological Institute. The lecture will offer a revision to commonly-held views of the configuration of the Dionysos theatre on the south slope of the Acropolis where Greek dramatists such as Sophocles and Euripides staged their plays. Goette will discuss the consequences for theatrical audiences and others attending public events at the theatre.

Each lecture in the series will begin at 8 p.m. in the Valparaiso Union.

Prior to each lecture, a dinner with the presenting scholar will take place at 6:30 p.m. Those interested in attending a dinner should contact Mark Farmer, assistant professor of foreign languages and literatures, by e-mail to Mark.Farmer@valpo.edu or by calling (219)

464-5097 to purchase tickets. Tickets are $11 for each dinner and must be reserved by 3 p.m. Sept. 19 for Oakley's pre-lecture dinner.

For information about classical studies at VU or becoming a member of the AIA's Valparaiso chapter, visit valpo.edu/foreignlang/classicsportal or contact Farmer.

--For The Times