Behistun T 02

Behistun or Bisotun: town in Iran, site of several ancient monuments, including a famous inscription by the Persian king Darius I the Great (r.522-486 BCE), the great organizer of the Achaemenid Empire.

On these pages, you can find drawings, a transliteration and an adapted version of the King/Thompson translation of the inscription.

Column i, lines 9-17

  1. âtiy \ Dârayavauš \ xšâyathiya \ VIII \ manâ \ taumâyâ \ tyaiy \ paruvam
  2. xšâyathiyâ \ âha \ adam navama \ IX \ duvitâparanam \ vavam \ xšâyathi
  3. yâ \ amahy \ thâtiy \ Dârayavauš \ xšâyathiya \ vašnâ \ Auramazd
  4. âha \ adam \ xšâyathiya \ amiy \ Auzamazdâ \ xšaçam \ manâ \ frâbara \ th
  5. âtiy \ Dârayavauš \ xšâyathiya \ imâ \ dahyâva \ tyâ \ manâ \ patiyâiša \ vašn
  6. â \ Auramazdâha \ adamšâm \ xšâyathiya \ âham \ Pârsa \ Ûvja \ Bâbiruš \ A
  7. hurâ \ Arabâya \ Mudrâya \ tyaiy \ drayahyâ \ Sparda \ Yauna \ Mâda \ Armina \ Kat
  8. patuka \ Parthava \ Zraka \ Haraiva \ Uvârazmîy \ Bâxtriš \ Suguda \ Gadâra \ Sa
  9. ka \ Thataguš \ Harauvatiš \ Maka \ fraharavam \ dahyâva \ XXIII \ thâtiy \ Dâra

(4) King Darius says: Eight of my dynasty were kings before me; I am the ninth. Nine in succession we have been kings.

(5) King Darius says: By the grace of Ahuramazda am I king; Ahuramazda has granted me the kingdom.

(6) King Darius says: These are the countries which are subject unto me, and by the grace of Ahuramazda I became king of them: Persia, Elam, Babylonia, Assyria, Arabia, Egypt, the countries by the Sea, Lydia, the Greeks, Media, Armenia, Cappadocia, Parthia, Drangiana, Aria, Chorasmia, Bactria, Sogdia, Gandara, Scythia, Sattagydia, Arachosia and Maka; twenty-three lands in all.