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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 29-37
Vahyazdata. Behistun relief. Photo Ab Langereis.
Vahyazdâta
  1. tiy \ Dârayavauš \ xšâyathiya \ pasâva \ adam \ kâram \ Pârsa
  2. m \ utâ \ Mâdam \ frâišayam \ hya \ upâ \ mâm \ âha \ Artavard
  3. iya \ nâma Pârsa \ manâ \ badaka \ avamšâm \ mathištam \ aku
  4. navam \ hya \ aniya \ kâra \ Pârsa \ pasâ \ manâ \ ašiyava \ Mâ
  5. dam \ pasâva \ Artavardiya \ hadâ \ kârâ \ ašiyava \ Pârsam
  6. \ yathâ \ Pârsam \ parârasa \ Raxâ \ nâma \ vardanam \ Pârsaiy \ a
  7. vadâ \ hauv \ Vahyazdâta \ hya \ Bardiya \ agaubatâ \ âiš \
  8. hadâ \ kârâ \ patiš \ Artavardiyam \ hamaranam \ cartanaiy \ pas
  9. âva \ hamaranam \ akunava \ Auramazdâmaiy \ upastâm \ abara \ va
(41a) King Darius says: Then did I send out the Persian and the Median army which was with me. A Persian named Artavardiya, my servant, I made their leader. The rest of the Persian army came unto me in Media. Then went Vahyazdâta with the army unto Persia. When he came to Persia, at a city in Persia called Rakhâ, that Vahyazdâta, who called himself Smerdis, advanced with the army against Artavardiya to give him battle. They then fought the battle. Ahuramazda brought me help;
 
to Column 3, lines 38-48
 
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