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Royal inscriptions : photos by Marco Prins ; text Jona
Lendering © |
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Gandj Nameh: Xerxes' text
Unless otherwise indicated,
pictures on this page © Marco Prins and Jona Lendering. Photos can
be downloaded and used for non-commercial purposes, but you have to acknowledge
Livius. |
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Near the waterfall of Gandj
Nameh, at the end of a small valley near the ancient road between Ecbatana
and Behistun,
twelve kilometers southwest of modern Hamadan, are two Achaemenid
inscriptions, by Darius
I the Great and Xerxes.
Both are in three columns of twenty lines, and in three languages: Persian,
Elamite, and Babylonian.
This is the text by Xerxes. |
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The texts are almost identical. Both begin with praise for the supreme
god Ahuramazda,
continue with the genealogy of the maker, and end with his royal titles.
This is a copy of Xerxes' inscription and can be found in the Hamadan Museum. |
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Persian texts and translation; first nine lines on the pictures
above.
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baga \ vazraka \ Auramazdâ
\
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hya \ mathišta \ bagânâm
\
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hya \ imâm \ bumim \ ad
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â \ hya \ avam \ asmânam
\
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adâ \ hya \ martiyam \
ad
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â \ hya \ šiyâtim
\ adâ
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\ martiyahyâ \ hya \ Xša
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yâršâm \ xšâyathiyam
\
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akunauš \ aivam \ parun
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A great god is Ahuramazda, who is the greatest god, who
created this earth, who created yonder heaven, who created men, who created
happiness for man, who made Xerxes king. |
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âm \ xšâyathiyam
\ aivam
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\ parunâm \ framâtâram
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\ adam \ Xšayâršâ
\ xšâ
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yathiya \ vazraka \ xšâyathi
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ya \ xšâyathiyânâm
\ xš
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âyathiya \ dahyunâm
\ par
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uzanânâm \ xšâyathiya
\
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ahiyâyâ \ bumiyâ
\ va
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zrakâyâ \ duraiy
\ apiy
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\ Dârayavahauš \ xšâyathiya
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hyâ \ puça \ Haxâmanišiya
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One king for many, one lord for all.
I am Xerxes, the great king, king of kings, king of countries
containing all kinds of men, king in this great earth far and wide, son
of king Darius, an Achaemenian.
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