Athanasia Chrysafis Biska

The ancient theatre of Dionysus, standing on the southern slopes of the Acropolis hill, is to be partially restored it was announced on November 24, following an agreement last week, between the Athens Prefecture and 'Diazoma'- a non-profit organization for the protection of ancient theaters around Greece.

According to the agreement the Prefecture is to fund the project by injecting  6 million euro into it, channeled through the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.

The project is set for completion by 2015 and will include extensive modern additions to the surviving stone seats of the theater.

The ancient theater of Dionysus - the first theater of the Western world - is considered the birthplace of tragedy and comedy.

It was built at the end of the 6th century BC, on the site of a Dionysus sanctuary, around an already existing circular orchestra, which lies still -albeit barely distinguishable- among the ruins of the stage.

It was on this stage that plays by Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides and Aristophanes, had their 'world premieres.'