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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 3, lines 1-10

  1. \ thâtiy \ Dârayavauš \ xšâyathiya \ pasâva \ adam \ kâra
  2. m \ Pârsam \ frâišayam \ abiy \ Vištâspam \ hacâ \ Ragâ
  3. yâ \ yathâ \ hauv \ kâra \ parârasa \ abiy \ Vištâspam
  4. \ pasâva \ Vištâspa \ âyasatâ \ avam \ kâram \ ašiyava \ Patigraba
  5. nâ \ nâma \ vardanam \ Parthavaiy \ avadâ \ hamaranam \ akunauš \ hadâ \
  6. hamiçiyaibiš \ Auramazdâmaiy \ upastâm \ abara \ vašnâ \ Auramaz
  7. dâha \ Vištâspa \ avam \ kâram \ tyam \ hamiçiyam \ aja \ vasiy \ Ga
  8. rmapadahya \ mâhya \ I \ rauca \ thakatam \ âha \ avathâšâm \ hamaranam \ ka
  9. rtam \ thâtiy \ Dârayavauš \ xšâyathiya \ pasâva \ dahyâuš \ ma
  10. nâ \ abava \ ima \ tya \ manâ \ kartam \ Parthavaiy \ thâtiy \ Dârayavau
  (36) King Darius says: Then did I send a Persian army unto Hystaspes from Rhagae. When that army reached Hystaspes, he marched forth with the host. At a city in Parthia called Patigrabanâ he gave battle to the rebels. Ahuramazda brought me help; by the grace of Ahuramazda Hystaspes utterly defeated that rebel host. On the first day of the month Garmapada [11 July 521] the battle was fought by them.

(37) King Darius says: Then was the province mine. This is what done by me in Parthia.




to Column 3, lines 11-19



 
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