Behistun T 28

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 49-57

  1. â \ anušiyâ \ âhata \ agarbâya \ thâtiy \ Dârayavauš \ xš
  2. âyathiya \ pasâva \ adam \ avarn \ Vahyazdâtam \ utâ \ martiyâ \
  3. tyaišaiy \ fratamâ \ anušiyâ \ âhata \ Uvâdaicaya \ nâma \ var
  4. danam \ Pârsaiy \ avadašiš \ uzmayâpatiy \ akunavam \ thâ
  5. tiy \ Dârayavauš \ xšâyathiya \ ima \ tya \ manâ \ kartam \ Pârsaiy
  6. thâtiy \ Dârayavauš \ xšâyathiya \ hauv \ Vahyazdâta \ hya \ Bardiya
  7. \ agaubatâ \ hauv \ kâram \ frâišaya \ Harauvatim \ Vivâna \
  8. nâma \ Pârsa \ manâ \ badaka \ Harauvatiyâ \ xšaçapâvâ \ abiy \ ava
  9. m \ utâšâm \ I martiyarn \ mathištam \ akunauš avathâšâm \ a

(43) King Darius says: Then did I crucify that Vahyazdâta and the men who were his chief followers in a city in Persia called Uvâdaicaya.

(44) King Darius says: This is what was done by me in Persia.

(45a) King Darius says: That Vahyazdâta, who called himself Smerdis, sent men to Arachosia against a Persian named Vivâna, my servant, the satrap of Arachosia. He appointed a certain man to be their leader,