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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 3, lines 11-19
Frada on the Behistun relief. Photo Ab Langereis.
Frâda
  1. š \ xšâyathiya \ Marguš \ nâmâ \ dahyâuš \ hauvmaiy \ hamiçiyâ \ abava
  2. \ I martiya \ Frâda \ nâma \ Mârgava \ avam \ mathištam \ akunavatâ \ pasâ
  3. va \ adam \ frâišayam \ Dâdaršiš \ nâma \ Pârsa \ manâ \ badaka \ Bâxtriy
  4. â \ xšaçapâvâ \ abiy \ avam \ avathâšaiy \ athaham \ paraidiy \ ava
  5. m \ kâram \ jadiy \ hya \ manâ \ naiy \ gaubataiy \ pasâva \ Dâdaršiš \ hadâ \ k
  6. ârâ \ ašiyava \ hamaranam \ akunauš \ hadâ \ Mârgavaibiš \ Auramazd
  7. âmaiy \ upastâm \ abara \ vašnâ \ Auramazdâha \ kâra \ hya \ manâ \ avam \ kâram
  8. \ tyam \ hamiçiyam \ aja \ vasiy \ Âçiyâdiyahya \ mâhyâ \ XXIII \ raucabi
  9. š \ thakatâ \ âha \ avathâšâm \ hamaranam \ kartam \ thâtiy \ Dârayavau
  (38) King Darius says: The province called Margiana revolted against me. A certain Margian named Frâda they made their leader. Then sent I against him a Persian named Dâdarši, my servant, who was satrap of Bactria, and I said unto him: 'Go, smite that  host which does not acknowledge me.' Then Dâdarši went forth with the army, and gave battle to the Margians. Ahuramazda brought me help; by the grace of Ahuramazda my army utterly overthrew that rebel host. Of the twenty-third day of the month Âçiyâdiya [28 December 521] was the battle fought by them.
to Column 3, lines 20-28
 
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