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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.

  
 

Column 2, lines 18-28
Phraortes on the Behistun relief. Photo Marco Prins.
Phraortes (©**)
  1. thâtiy \ Dârayavauš \ xšâyathiya \ kâra \ Pârsa \ utâ \ Mâda \ hya \ upâ \ mâm \ â
  2. ha \ hauv \ kamnam \ âha \ pasâva \ adam \ kâram \ frâišayam \ Vidarna \ nâma \ Pârsa \ man
  3. â \ badaka \ avamšâm \ mathištam \ akunavam \ avathâšâm \ athaham \ paraitâ \ avam \ k
  4. âram \ tyam \ Mâdam \ jatâ \ hya \ manâ \ naiy \ gaubataiy \ pasâva \ hauv \ Vidarna \ ha
  5. dâ \ kârâ \ ašiyava \ yathâ \ Mâdam \ parârasa \ Mâruš \ nâma \ vardanam \ Mâ
  6. daiy \ avadâ \ hamaranam \ akunauš \ hadâ \ Mâdaibiš \ hya \ Mâdaišuva
  7. \ mathišta \ âha \ hauv \ adakaiy \ naiy \ avadâ \ âha \ Auramazdâmaiy \ u
  8. pastâm \ abara \ vašnâ \ Auramazdâha \ kâra \ hya \ manâ \ avam \ kâram \ t
  9. yam \ hamiçiyam \ aja \ vasiy \ Anâmakahya \ mâhyâ \ XXVII \ raucabiš \ thakat
  10. â \ âha \ avathâšâm \ hamaranam \ kartam \ pasâva \ hauv \ kâra \ hya \ manâ \ Kapada \ nâm
  11. â \ dahyâuš \ Mâdaiy \ avadâ \ mâm \ amânaiya \ yâtâ \ adam \ arasam \ Mâda
  (25) King Darius says: The Persian and Median army, which was with me, was small. Yet I sent forth an[other] army. A Persian named Hydarnes, my servant, I made their leader, and I said unto him: 'Go, smite that Median host which does not acknowledge me.' Then Hydarnes marched forth with the army. When he had come to Media, at a city in Media called Maruš, he gave battle to the Medes. He who was chief among the Medes was not there at that time. Ahuramazda brought me help: by the grace of Ahuramazda my army utterly defeated that rebel host. On the twenty-seventh day of the month Anâmaka [12 January 521] the battle was fought by them. Then did my army await me in a district in Media called Kampanda, until I came into Media.
to Column 2, lines 29-37
 
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