Behistun T 18

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 ii, lines 55-63

  1. ramazdâha \ kâra \ hya \ manâ \ avam \ kâram \ tyam \ hamiçiyam \ aja \ vasiy \
  2. Anâmakahya \ mâhyâ \ XV \ raucabiš \ thakatâ \ âha \ avathâšâm \ hamaranam \
  3. kartam \ thâtiy \ Dârayavauš \ xšâyathiya \ patiy \ duvitîyam \ ham
  4. içiyâ \ hagmatâ \ paraitâ \ patiš \ Vaumisam \ hamaranam \ cartanaiy \ Au
  5. tiyâra \ nâmâ \ dahyâuš \ Arminiyaiy \ avadâ \ hamaranam \ akunava \
  6. Auramazdâmaiy \ upastâm \ abara \ vašnâ \ Auramazdâha \ kâra \ hya \ ma
  7. nâ \ avam \ kâram \ tyam \ hamiçiyam \ aja \ vasiy \ Thûravâharahya \ mâh
  8. yâ \ jiyamnam \ patiy \ avathâšâm \ hamaranam \ kartam \ pasâva \ Vaumisa
  9. \ citâ \ mâm \ amânaya \ Arminiyâiy \ yâtâ \ adam \ arasam \ Mâdam

(29b) by the grace of Ahuramazda did my army utterly overthrow that rebel host. On the fifteenth day of the month Anâmakanote the battle was fought by them.

(30) King Darius says: The rebels assembled a second time and advanced against Vaumisa to give him battle. At a place in Armenia called Autiyâra they joined battle. Ahuramazda brought me help; by the grace of Ahuramazda did my army utterly overthrow that rebel host. At the end of the month Thûravâharanote the battle was fought by them. Then Vaumisa waited for me in Armenia, until I came into Armenia.