Intellectual and Artistic Exploration,” the 2005-06 lecture series sponsored by the College of Arts and Humanities at California State University, Fresno, will open on Sept. 22 with the Phebe McClatchy Conley Lecture.

Dr. Stephen G. Miller, former director of the Nemea Excavations in Greece and a retired faculty member from UC Berkeley will speak on "The Ancient Stadium of Nemea and Greek Athletics." The presentation will be from 7 to 8 p.m. in the Concert Hall of the Music Building.

The discovery of the ancient stadium at Nemea has provided much new information about details of Greek athletics, and has provided the basis for a revival of the ancient games such as the workings of the starting mechanism in the foot races, the cheering sections in the stands and organization of the athletes and their facilities, and much more.

Miller earned his A.B. in Greek at Wabash College and Ph.D. in classical archaeology at Princeton University. He is recently retired from the University of California at Berkeley and from the directorship of the Nemea Excavations in Greece - positions he held since 1973 - but continues to work in both capacities as teacher and research scholar.

He was director of the American School of Classical Studies at Athens from 1982 to 1987, and excavated before Nemea at Morgantina in Sicily, Olympia, and the Agora of Athens.

He is the author of dozens of articles and several books, including “Nemea II: The Early Hellenistic Stadium” and “Ancient Greek Athletics.” His work has been recognized on several levels including: honorary citizenship of the town of Ancient Nemea, honorary doctorate from the University of Athens, ABC's “Person of the week” (Aug. 20, 2004) and decorated by the Republic of Greece as Commander of the Order of Honor.

The Conley Lecture is in conjunction with the Department of Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures and the Classical Studies Program. For more information, call 559.278.2386.