The Behistun Inscription


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	*The Behistun inscription*

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 (522- 486 BCE), the great organizer of the Achaemenid empire. On these pages, you can find drawings, a translitteration and an adapted version of the King/Thompson translation of the inscription.

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	âtiy \ Dârayavauš \ xšâyathiya \ VIII \ manâ \ taumâyâ \ tyaiy \ paruvam xšâyathiyâ \ âha \ adam navama \ IX \ duvitâparanam \ vavam \ xšâyathi yâ \ amahy \ thâtiy \ Dârayavauš \ xšâyathiya \ vašnâ \ Auramazd âha \ adam \ xšâyathiya \ amiy \ Auzamazdâ \ xšaçam \ manâ \ frâbara \ th âtiy \ Dârayavauš \ xšâyathiya \ imâ \ dahyâva \ tyâ \ manâ \ patiyâiša \ vašn â \ Auramazdâha \ adamšâm \ xšâyathiya \ âham \ Pârsa \ Ûvja \ Bâbiruš \ A hurâ \ Arabâya \ Mudrâya \ tyaiy \ drayahyâ \ Sparda \ Yauna \ Mâda \ Armina \ Kat patuka \ Parthava \ Zraka \ Haraiva \ Uvârazmîy \ Bâxtriš \ Suguda \ Gadâra \ Sa ka \ Thataguš \ Harauvatiš \ Maka \ fraharavam \ dahyâva \ XXIII \ thâtiy \ Dâra
	(4) King Darius says: Eight of my dynasty were kings before me; I am the ninth. Nine in succession we have been kings. (5) King Darius says: By the grace of Ahuramazda am I king; Ahuramazda has granted me the kingdom. (6) King Darius says: These are the countries which are subject unto me, and by the grace of Ahuramazda I became king of them: Persia, Elam, Babylonia, Assyria, Arabia, Egypt, the countries by the Sea, Lydia, the Greeks, Media, Armenia, Cappadocia, Parthia, Drangiana, Aria, Chorasmia, Bactria, Sogdia, Gandara, Scythia, Sattagydia, Arachosia and Maka; twenty-three lands in all.

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