Townsfolk throw their weight behind a restoration

It took persistence, love - and a fit of anger. These were the ingredients that led to the transformation of the Ancient Theater of Orchomenos in Boeotia (Viotia), central Greece (also referred to as "Minyan Orchomenus" to distinguish it from a later city of the same name in Arcadia), from a forgotten site to a model of restoration, sponsored by the local residents.

With a love of culture and a sense of civic duty, journalist Lambros Rodes had been following the efforts of Diazoma, a citizens' platform that raises money through crowdfunding for the restoration of ancient theaters throughout the country. He had been thinking about how he could get the ancient theater of his own town into the scheme, when he became incensed to discover that a prominent fellow citizen had offered 30,000 euros for the restoration of the Ancient Theater of Orchomenos - not in Boeotia, but in...