Behistun T 22

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 89-98

  1. âham \ utâ \ gaušâ \ frâjanam \ utâšaiy \ I cašam \ avajam \ duvarayâ
  2. maiy \ basta \ adâriya \ haruvašim \ kâra \ avaina \ pasâvašim Arbairâyâ \
  3. uzmayâpatiy \ akunavam \ thatiy \ Dârayavauš \ xšâyathiya \ ima \ tya \ ma
  4. nâ \ kartam \ Mâdaiy \ thâtiy \ Dârayavauš \ xšâyathiya \ Parthava \ utâ \ Var
  5. kâna \ hamiçiyâ \ abava \ hacâma \ Fravartaiš \ agaubatâ \ Vištâspa \ manâ \ pitâ \ ha
  6. uv \ Parthavaiy \ âha \ avam \ kâra \ avaharda \ hamiçiya \ abava \ pasâva \ Vištâspa \
  7. ašiyava \ hadâ \ kârâ \ hyašaiy \ anušiya \ âha \ Višpauzâtiš \ nâma \ varda
  8. nam \ Parthavaiy \ avadâ \ hamaranam \ akunauš \ hadâ \ Parthavaibiš \ Auramazdâmaiy
  9. \ upastâm \ abara \ vašnâ \ Auramazdâha \ Vištâspa \ avam \ kâram \ tyam \ hamiçiya
  10. m \ aja \ vasiy \ Viyaxnahya \ mâhyâ \ XXII \ raucabiš \ thakatâ \ âha \ avathâšâm \ hamaranam \ kartam

(33b) Afterwards I cut off both his nose and ears, and put out one eye, he was kept bound at my palace entrance, all the people saw him. Afterwards I crucified him in Arbela.

(34) King Darius says: This is what was done by me in Media.

(35) King Darius says: The Parthians and Hyrcanians revolted from me, and they declared themselves on the side of Phraortes. My father Hystaspes was in Parthia; and the people forsook him; they became rebellious. Then Hystaspes marched forth with the troops which had remained faithful. At a city in Parthia called Višpauzâtiš he fought a battle with the Parthians. Ahuramazda brought me help; by the grace of Ahuramazda my army utterly defeated that rebel host. On the second day of the month Viyaxananote the battle was fought by them.