Behistun T 27

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 iii, lines 38-48

  1. šnâ \ Auramazdâha \ kâra \ hya \ manâ \ avam \ kâram \ tyam \ Vahya
  2. zdâtahya \ aja \ vasiy \ Thûravâharahya \ mâhyâ \ XII \ raucabiš \ thaka
  3. tâ \ âha \ avathâšâm \ hamaranam \ kartam \ thâtiy \ Dârayavauš \ xsâyathi
  4. ya \ pasâva \ hauv \ Vahyazdâta \ hadâ \ kamnaibiš \ asabâraibiš \ a
  5. mutha \ ašiyava \ Paišiyâuvâdâm \ hacâ \ avadaša \ kâram \ âyasa
  6. tâ \ hyâparam \ âiš \ patiš \ Artavardiyam \ hamaranam \ cartana
  7. iy \ Parga \ nâma \ kaufa \ avadâ \ hamaranam \ akunava \ Auramazdâma
  8. iy \ upastâm \ abara \ vašnâ \ Auramazdâha \ kâra \ hya \ manâ \ ava
  9. m \ kâram \ tyam \ Vahyazdâtahya \ aja \ vasiy \ Garmapadahya \ mâh
  10. yâ \ V \ raucabiš \ thakatâ \ âha \ avathâšâm \ hamaranam \ kartam \ utâ \ ava
  11. m Vahyazdâtam \ agarbâya \ utâ \ martiyâ \ tyaišaiy \ fratam

(41b) by the grace of Ahuramazda my host utterly overthrew the army of Vahyazdâta. On the twelfth day of the month Thûravâharanote was the battle fought by them.

(42) King Darius says: Then that Vahyazdâta fled thence with a few horsemen unto Pishiyâuvâda. From that place he went forth with an army a second time against Artavardiya to give him battle. At a mountain called Parga they fought the battle. Ahuramazda brought me help; by the grace of Ahuramazda my host utterly overthrew the army of Vahyazdâta. On the fifth day of the month Garmapadanote was the battle fought by them. And they seized that Vahyazdâta, and the men who were his chief followers were also seized.