Behistun T 21

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 79-88

  1. âyathiya \ I martiya \ Ciçataxma \ nâma \ Asagartiya \ hauvmaiy \ hamiçiya \
  2. abava \ kârahyâ \ avathâ \ athaha \ adam \ xšâyathiya \ amiy \ Asagarta
  3. iy \ Uvaxštrahyâ \ taumâyâ \ pasâva \ adam \ kâram \ Pârsam \ ut
  4. â \ Mâdam \ frâišayam \ Taxmaspâda \ nâma \ Mâda \ manâ \ badaka \ avam
  5. šâm \ mathištam \ akunavam \ avathâšâm \ athaham \ paraitâ \ k
  6. ram \ hamiçiyam \ hya \ manâ \ naiy \ gaubâtaiy \ avam \ jatâ \ pas
  7. âva \ Taxmaspâda \ hadâ \ kârâ \ ašiyava \ hamaranam \ akunauš \ had
  8. â \ Ciçataxmâ \ Auramazdâmaiy \ upastâm \ abara \ vašnâ \ Auramaz
  9. dâha \ kâra \ hya \ manâ \ avam \ kâram \ tyam \ hamiçiyam \ aja \ utâ \ C
  10. içataxmam \ agarbâya \ anaya \ abiy \ mâm pasâvašaiy \ adam \ utâ \ n

(33a) King Darius says: A man named Tritantaechmes, a Sagartian, revolted from me, saying to his people: 'I am king in Sagartia, of the family of Cyaxares.' Then I sent forth a Persian and a Median army. A Mede named Takhmaspâda, my servant, I made their leader, and I said unto him: 'Go, smite that host which is in revolt, and does not acknowledge me.' Thereupon Takhmaspâda went forth with the army, and he fought a battle with Tritantaechmes. Ahuramazda brought me help; by the grace of Ahuramazda my army utterly defeated that rebel host, and they seized Tritantaechmes and brought him unto me.