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The Behistun inscription
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 (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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Column 2, lines 1-8
  1. \ thâtiy \ Dârayavauš \ xšâyathiya \ pasâva \ Naditabaira \ ha
  2. dâ \ kamnaibiš \ asabâraibiš \ amutha \ Bâbirum \ ašiya
  3. va \ pasâva \ adam \ Bâbirum \ ašiyavam \ vašnâ \ Auramazdâha \ utâ Bâ
  4. birum \ agarbâyam \ utâ \ avam \ Naditabairam \ agarbâyam \ pasâva \ ava
  5. m \ Naditabairam \ adam \ Bâbirauv \ avâjanam \ thâtiy \ Dârayavauš \ x
  6. šâyathiya \ yâtâ \ adam \ Babirauv \ âham \ imâ \ dahyâva \ tyâ \ hacâma \ ha
  7. miçiyâ \ abava \ Pârsa \ Ûvja \ Mâda \ Athurâ \ Mudrâya \ Parthava \ Marguš \ Tha
  8. taguš \ Saka \ thâtiy \ Dârayavauš \ xšâyathiya \ I martiya \ Martiya \ nâ
  (20) King Darius says: Then did Nidintu-Bêl with a few horsemen into Babylon. Thereupon I marched to Babylon. By the grace of Ahuramazda I took Babylon, and captured Nidintu-Bêl. Then I slew that Nidintu-Bêl in Babylon.

(21) King Darius says: While I was in Babylon, these provinces revolted from me: Persia, Elam, Media, Assyria, Egypt, Parthia, Margiana, Sattagydia, and Scythia.
to Column 2, lines 9-17
 
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