Behistun T 17
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 46-54
- zdâha \ kâra \ hya \ manâ \ avam \ kâram \ tyam \ hamiçiyam \ aja \ vasiy \ Thâigarca
- iš \ mâhyâ \ IX \ raucabiš \ thakatâ \ âha \ avathâšâm \ hamaranam \ kartam \ pasâva
- \ Dâdaršiš \ citâ \ mâm \ amânaya \ Arminiyaiy \ yâtâ \ adam \ arasam \ Mâ
- dam \ thâtiy \ Dârayavauš \ xšâyathiya \ pasâva \ Vaumisa \ nâma \ Pârsa \ manâ \ ba
- daka \ avam \ adam \ frâišayam \ Arminam \ avathâšaiy \ athaham \ paraidiy \ kâra \
- hya \ hamiçiya \ manâ \ naiy \ gaubataiy \ avam \ jadiy \ pasâva \ Vaumisa \ a
- šiyava \ yathâ \ Arminam \ parârasa \ pasâva \ hamiçiyâ \ hagmatâ \ paraitâ \ pa
- tiš \ Vaumisam hamaranam \ cartanaiy \ Izalâ \ nâmâ \ dahyâuš \ Athurây
- â \ avadâ \ hamaranam \ akunava \ Auramazdâmaiy \ upastâm abara \ vašnâ \ Au
(28b) by the grace of Ahuramazda did my army utterly overthrow that rebel host. On the ninth day of the month Thâigacišnote the battle was fought by them. Then Dâdarši waited for me in Armenia, until I came into Armenia.
(29a) King Darius says: A Persian named Vaumisa, my servant, I sent into Armenia, and I said unto him: 'Go, smite that host which is in revolt, and does not acknowledge me.' Then Vaumisa went forth. When he had come to Armenia, the rebels assembled and advanced against Vaumisa to give him battle. At a place in Assyria called Izala they joined battle. Ahuramazda brought me help;