Behistun T 07

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 53-61

  1. iya \ amiy \ hya \ Kûrauš \ puça \ kašciy \ naiy \ adaršnauš \ cišciy \ thastana
  2. iy \ pariy \ Gaumâtam \ tyam \ magum \ yâtâ \ adam \ arasam \ pasâva \ adam \ Aura
  3. maz[d]âm \ patiyâvahyaiy \ Auramazdâmaiy \ upastâm \ abara \ Bâgayâdaiš \
  4. mâhyâ \ X \ raucabiš \ thakatâ \ âha \ avathâ \adam \ hadâ \ kamnaibiš \ martiyaibi
  5. š \ avam \ Gaumâtam \ tyam \ magum avâjanam \ utâ \ tyaišaiy \ fratamâ \ mar
  6. tiyâ \ anušiyâ \ âhatâ \ Sikayauvatiš \ nâmâ \ didâ \ Nisâya \ nâ
  7. mâ \ dahyâuš \ Mâdaiy \ avadašim \ avâjanam \ xšaçamšim \ adam \ adînam \ va
  8. šnâ \ Auramazdâha \ adam \ xšâyathiya \ abavam \ Auramazdâ \ xšaçam \ manâ \ fr
  9. âbara \ thâtiy \ Dârayavauš \ xšâyathiya \ xšaçam \ tya \ hacâ \ amâxam ta

(13b) There was none who dared to act against Gaumâta, the Magian, until I came. Then I prayed to Ahuramazda; Ahuramazda brought me help. On the tenth day of the month Bâgayâdišnote I, with a few men, slew that Gaumâta, the Magian, and the chief men who were his followers. At the stronghold called Sikayauvatiš, in the district called Nisaia in Media, I slew him; I dispossessed him of the kingdom. By the grace of Ahuramazda I became king; Ahuramazda granted me the kingdom.