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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.
Ancient-Warfare.com, the online home of Ancient Warfare magazine
 

 

Column 2, lines 55-63

  1. ramazdâha \ kâra \ hya \ manâ \ avam \ kâram \ tyam \ hamiçiyam \ aja \ vasiy \
  2. Anâmakahya \ mâhyâ \ XV \ raucabiš \ thakatâ \ âha \ avathâšâm \  hamaranam \
  3. kartam \ thâtiy \ Dârayavauš \ xšâyathiya \ patiy \ duvitîyam \ ham
  4. içiyâ \ hagmatâ \ paraitâ \ patiš \ Vaumisam \ hamaranam \ cartanaiy \ Au
  5. tiyâra \ nâmâ \ dahyâuš \ Arminiyaiy \ avadâ \ hamaranam \ akunava \
  6. Auramazdâmaiy \ upastâm \ abara \ vašnâ \ Auramazdâha \ kâra \ hya \ ma
  7. nâ \ avam \ kâram \ tyam \ hamiçiyam \ aja \ vasiy \ Thûravâharahya \ mâh
  8. yâ \ jiyamnam \ patiy \ avathâšâm \ hamaranam \ kartam \ pasâva \ Vaumisa
  9. \ citâ \ mâm \ amânaya \ Arminiyâiy \ yâtâ \ adam \ arasam \ Mâdam
  (29b) by the grace of Ahuramazda did my army utterly overthrow that rebel host. On the fifteenth day of the month Anâmaka [31 December 522] the battle was fought by them.

(30) King Darius says: The rebels assembled a second time and advanced against Vaumisa to give him battle. At a place in Armenia called Autiyâra they joined battle. Ahuramazda brought me help; by the grace of Ahuramazda did my army utterly overthrow that rebel host. At the end of the month Thûravâhara [11 June 521] the battle was fought by them. Then Vaumisa  waited for me in Armenia, until I came into Armenia.




to Column 2, lines 64-70



 
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