home   :    ancient Persia    :    Achaemenid Royal inscriptions   :   index    :    article by Jona Lendering ©

The Behistun inscription
Ancient-Warfare.com, the online home of Ancient Warfare magazine
Relief at Behistun. Photo Ab Langereis. The Behistun relief
 Behistun or Bisotun: town in Iran, site of several ancient monuments, including a famous inscription by the Persian king Darius I the Great. Here you can find translitteration and a translation of the inscription (start here).
 

Minor inscriptions

On the relief at Behistun, we can read several minor texts, which you can read here.

DBa

Inscription on top of the Behistun relief, to the left of the flying figure of Ahuramazda.
  1. \ adam \ Dârayavauš \ xšâyathiya \ vazraka \ xšâya
  2. thiya \ xšâyathiyânâm \ xšâyathiya \ Pârsaiy \ xš
  3. âyathiya \ dahyunam \ Vištâspahyâ \ puça \
  4. Aršâmahyâ \ napâ \ Haxâmanišiya \ thâtiy \ Dâra
  5. yavauš \ xšâyathiya \ manâ \ pitâ \ Vištâspa \ Vi
  6. štâspahyâ \ pitâ \ Aršâma \ Aršâmahyâ \ pi
  7. tâ \ Ariyâramna \ Ariyâramnahyâ \ pitâ \
  8. Cišpiš \ Cispaiš \ pitâ \ Haxâmaniš \
  9. thâtiy \ Dârayavauš \ xšâyathiya \ avahya
  10. râdiy \ vayam \ Haxâmanišiyâ \ thahyâ
  11. mahy \ hacâ \ paruviyata \ âmâtâ
  12. \ amahy \ hacâ \ paruviyata \ hyâ \ amâ
  13. xam \ taumâ \ xšâyathiyâ \ âha \ thâ
  14. tiy \ Dârayavauš \ xšâyathiya \ VIII \ ma
  15. nâ \ taumâyâ \ tyaiy \ paruva
  16. m \ xšâyathiyâ \ âha \ adam \ na
  17. vama \ IX \ duvitâparanam \ vayam \ x
  18. šâyathiyâ \ amahy \
I am Darius, the great king, king of kings, king in Persia, king of all nations, the son of Hystaspes, the grandson of Arsames, the Achaemenid.

King Darius says: My father is Hystaspes. The father of Hystaspes is Arsames. The father of Arsames is Ariaramnes. The father of Ariaramnes is Teispes. The father of Teispes is Achaemenes.

King Darius says: That is why we are called Achaemenids; from antiquity we have been noble; from antiquity has our dynasty been royal.

King Darius says: Eight of my dynasty were kings before me; I am the ninth. Nine in succession, in two lines, we have been kings.

Introduction
Discovery
Other monuments
Medieval legend
Translation 1
Translation 2

Persian text
Minor inscriptions
Darius the Great and Gaumâta. Behistun relief. Photo Marco Prins.
Darius and Gaumâta (©**)

DBb

Inscription on the Behistun relief, below the figures of Darius and Gaumâta.
  1. \ iyam \ Gaumâ
  2. ta \ hya \ maguš \ a
  3. durujiya \
  4. avathâ \ athaha \ adam \ Ba
  5. rdiya \ amiy \ hya \ K
  6. ûrauš \ puça \ adam \ xš
  7. âyathiya \ amiy \
This is Gaumata, the Magian.
He lied, saying 'I am Smerdis, the son of Cyrus, I am king.'
Assina. Behistun relief. Photo Marco Prins.
ššina (©**)

DBc

Inscription on the Behistun relief, above the figure of ššina.
  1. \ iyam \ Âç
  2. ina \ adu
  3. rujiya \
  4. avathâ
  5. \ athaha \ a
  6. dam \ x
  7. šâyath
  8. iya \ am
  9. iy \ Û
  10. vjaiy \
This is ššina.
He lied, saying 'I am king of Elam.'
Nidintu-Bêl. Relief at Behistun. Photo Marco Prins.
Nidintu-Bêl (©**)

DBd

Inscription on the Behistun relief, above the figure of Nidintu-Bêl.
  1. \ iyam \ Naditabaira \
  2. adurujiya \ ava
  3. thâ \ athaha \ adam \ Nab
  4. ukudracara \ ami
  5. y \ hya \ Nabunaita
  6. hya \ puça \ adam \ x
  7. šâyathiya \ amiy \ B
  8. âbirauv \
This is Nidintu-Bêl.
He lied, saying 'I am Nebuchadnezzar, the son of Nabonidus. I am king of Babylon.'
Phraortes on the Behistun relief. Photo Marco Prins.
Phraortes (©**)

DBe

Inscription on the Behistun relief, on the figure of Phraortes.
  1. \ iyam \ Fra
  2. vartiš \
  3. aduru
  4. jiya \ ava
  5. thâ \ athaha \ adam \
  6. Xšathrita \ amiy
  7. \ Uvaxštrahya
  8. \ taumâyâ \ adam
  9. \ xšâyathiya \ amiy
  10. \ Mâ
  11. daiy \
This is Phraortes.
He lied, saying:  'I am Khshathrita, of the dynasty of Cyaxares. I am king in Media.'
Martiya. Behistun relief. Photo Marco Prins.
Martiya (©**)

DBf

Inscription on the Behistun relief, below the figure of Martiya.
  1. \ iyam \ Martiya \ a
  2. durujiya \ a
  3. vathâ \ athaha \ a
  4. dam \ Imaniš \ am
  5. iy \ Ûvjaiy \ x
  6. šâyathi
  7. ya \
This is Martiya.
He lied, saying 'I am Ummanniš, king of Elam.'
Tritantaechmes. Behistun relief. Photo Marco Prins.
Tritantaechmes (©**)

DBg

Inscription on the Behistun relief, below the figure of Tritantaechmes.
  1. \ iyam \ Ciça
  2. taxma \ ad
  3. urujiya
  4. \ avathâ \ a
  5. thaha \ adam \
  6. xšâyathi
  7. ya \ ami
  8. y \ Asaga
  9. rtaiy \ Uva
  10. xštrahya
  11. \ taumây
  12. â
This is Tritantaechmes.
He lied, saying 'I am king of Sagartia, from the family of Cyaxares.'
Vahyazdata. Behistun relief. Photo Ab Langereis.
Vahyazdâta

DBh

Inscription on the Behistun relief, below the figure of Vahyazdâta.
  1. \ iyam \ Vahya
  2. zdâta \ adu
  3. rujiya \ ava
  4. thâ \ athaha \ ada
  5. m \ Bardiya \ a
  6. miy \ hya \ K
  7. ûrauš \ puça
  8. \ adam \ xšâ
  9. yathiya \ amiy
This is Vahyazdâta.
He lied, saying 'I am Smerdis, the son of Cyrus, I am king.'
Arakha. Behistun relief. Photo Ab Langereis.
Arakha

DBi

Inscription on the Behistun relief, below the figure of Arakha.
  1. \ iyam \ Arxa
  2. \ aduruj
  3. iya \ avathâ \
  4. athaha \ adam \
  5. Nabuku[d]ra
  6. cara \ amiy \
  7. hya \ Nabuna
  8. itahya \ pu
  9. ça \ adam \ xšâ
  10. yathiya \ amiy
  11. \ Bâbarauv \
This is Arakha.
He lied, saying: 'I am Nebuchadnezzar, the son of Nabonidus. I am king in Babylon.'
Frada on the Behistun relief. Photo Ab Langereis.
Frâda

DBj

Inscription on the Behistun relief, below the figure of Frâda.
  1. \ iyam \ Frada \
  2. aduruji
  3. ya \ avathâ \ athaha
  4. \ adam \ xšâyath
  5. iya \ amiy \ Marga
  6. uv \
This is Frâda.
He lied, saying 'I am king of Margiana.'
Sakan king Skunkha. Behistun relief. Photo Ab Langereis.
Skunkha

DBk

Inscription on the Behistun relief, above the figure of Skunkha.
  1. \ iyam \ Sku
  2. xa \ hya \ Saka
This is Skunkha the Sacan.
 
 home   :    ancient Persia    :    Achaemenid Royal inscriptions   :   index