Behistun, minor inscriptions

Behistun or Bisotun: town in Iran, site of several ancient monuments, including a famous inscription by the Persian king Darius I the Great.

Minor inscriptions

On the relief at Behistun, we can read several minor texts, which you can read on this page.

DBa

Behistun Relief (with minor inscriptions)

Inscription on top of the Behistun relief, to the left of the flying figure of Ahuramazda.

  1. \ adam \ Dârayavauš \ xšâyathiya \ vazraka \ xšâya
  2. thiya \ xšâyathiyânâm \ xšâyathiya \ Pârsaiy \ xš
  3. âyathiya \ dahyunam \ Vištâspahyâ \ puça \
  4. Aršâmahyâ \ napâ \ Haxâmanišiya \ thâtiy \ Dâra
  5. yavauš \ xšâyathiya \ manâ \ pitâ \ Vištâspa \ Vi
  6. štâspahyâ \ pitâ \ Aršâma \ Aršâmahyâ \ pi
  7. tâ \ Ariyâramna \ Ariyâramnahyâ \ pitâ \
  8. Cišpiš \ Cispaiš \ pitâ \ Haxâmaniš \
  9. thâtiy \ Dârayavauš \ xšâyathiya \ avahya
  10. râdiy \ vayam \ Haxâmanišiyâ \ thahyâ
  11. mahy \ hacâ \ paruviyata \ âmâtâ
  12. \ amahy \ hacâ \ paruviyata \ hyâ \ amâ
  13. xam \ taumâ \ xšâyathiyâ \ âha \ thâ
  14. tiy \ Dârayavauš \ xšâyathiya \ VIII \ ma
  15. nâ \ taumâyâ \ tyaiy \ paruva
  16. m \ xšâyathiyâ \ âha \ adam \ na
  17. vama \ IX \ duvitâparanam \ vayam \ x
  18. šâyathiyâ \ amahy \

I am Darius, the great king, king of kings, king in Persia, king of all nations, the son of Hystaspes, the grandson of Arsames, the Achaemenid.

King Darius says: My father is Hystaspes. The father of Hystaspes is Arsames. The father of Arsames is Ariaramnes. The father of Ariaramnes is Teispes. The father of Teispes is Achaemenes.

King Darius says: That is why we are called Achaemenids; from antiquity we have been noble; from antiquity has our dynasty been royal.

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

DBb

Gaumâta

Inscription on the Behistun relief, below the figures of Darius and Gaumâta.

  1. \ iyam \ Gaumâ
  2. ta \ hya \ maguš \ a
  3. durujiya \
  4. avathâ \ athaha \ adam \ Ba
  5. rdiya \ amiy \ hya \ K
  6. ûrauš \ puça \ adam \ xš
  7. âyathiya \ amiy \

This is Gaumâta, the Magian.
He lied, saying "I am Smerdis, the son of Cyrus, I am king."

DBc

ššina

Inscription on the Behistun relief, above the figure of ššina.

  1. \ iyam \ Âç
  2. ina \ adu
  3. rujiya \
  4. avathâ
  5. \ athaha \ a
  6. dam \ x
  7. šâyath
  8. iya \ am
  9. iy \ Û
  10. vjaiy \

This is ššina.
He lied, saying "I am king of Elam."

DBd

Nidintu-Bêl

Inscription on the Behistun relief, above the figure of Nidintu-Bêl.

  1. \ iyam \ Naditabaira \
  2. adurujiya \ ava
  3. thâ \ athaha \ adam \ Nab
  4. ukudracara \ ami
  5. y \ hya \ Nabunaita
  6. hya \ puça \ adam \ x
  7. šâyathiya \ amiy \ B
  8. âbirauv \

This is Nidintu-Bêl.
He lied, saying "I am Nebuchadnezzar, the son of Nabonidus. I am king of Babylon."

DBe

Phraortes

Inscription on the Behistun relief, on the figure of Phraortes.

  1. \ iyam \ Fra
  2. vartiš \
  3. aduru
  4. jiya \ ava
  5. thâ \ athaha \ adam \
  6. Xšathrita \ amiy
  7. \ Uvaxštrahya
  8. \ taumâyâ \ adam
  9. \ xšâyathiya \ amiy
  10. \ Mâ
  11. daiy \

This is Phraortes.
He lied, saying: "I am Khshathrita, of the dynasty of Cyaxares. I am king in Media."

DBf

Martiya

Inscription on the Behistun relief, below the figure of Martiya.

  1. \ iyam \ Martiya \ a
  2. durujiya \ a
  3. vathâ \ athaha \ a
  4. dam \ Imaniš \ am
  5. iy \ Ûvjaiy \ x
  6. šâyathi
  7. ya \

This is Martiya.
He lied, saying "I am Ummanniš, king of Elam."

DBg

Tritantaechmes

Inscription on the Behistun relief, below the figure of Tritantaechmes.

  1. \ iyam \ Ciça
  2. taxma \ ad
  3. urujiya
  4. \ avathâ \ a
  5. thaha \ adam \
  6. xšâyathi
  7. ya \ ami
  8. y \ Asaga
  9. rtaiy \ Uva
  10. xštrahya
  11. \ taumây
  12. â

This is Tritantaechmes.
He lied, saying "I am king of Sagartia, from the family of Cyaxares."

DBh

Vahyazdâta

Inscription on the Behistun relief, below the figure of Vahyazdâta.

  1. \ iyam \ Vahya
  2. zdâta \ adu
  3. rujiya \ ava
  4. thâ \ athaha \ ada
  5. m \ Bardiya \ a
  6. miy \ hya \ K
  7. ûrauš \ puça
  8. \ adam \ xšâ
  9. yathiya \ amiy

This is Vahyazdâta.
He lied, saying "I am Smerdis, the son of Cyrus, I am king."

DBi

Arakha

Inscription on the Behistun relief, below the figure of Arakha.

  1. \ iyam \ Arxa
  2. \ aduruj
  3. iya \ avathâ \
  4. athaha \ adam \
  5. Nabuku[d]ra
  6. cara \ amiy \
  7. hya \ Nabuna
  8. itahya \ pu
  9. ça \ adam \ xšâ
  10. yathiya \ amiy
  11. \ Bâbarauv \

This is Arakha.
He lied, saying: "I am Nebuchadnezzar, the son of Nabonidus. I am king in Babylon."

DBj

Frâda and Skunkha

Inscription on the Behistun relief, below the figure of Frâda.

  1. \ iyam \ Frada \
  2. aduruji
  3. ya \ avathâ \ athaha
  4. \ adam \ xšâyath
  5. iya \ amiy \ Marga
  6. uv \

This is Frâda.
He lied, saying "I am king of Margiana."

DBk

Inscription on the Behistun relief, above the figure of Skunkha.

  1. \ iyam \ Sku
  2. xa \ hya \ Saka

This is Skunkha the Sacan.