Behistun T 31

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 75-83

  1. âhatâ \ avâja \ thâtiy \ Dârayavauš \ xšâyathiya \ pasâva \ dahyâuš \ ma
  2. nâ \ abava \ ima \ tya \ manâ \ kartam \ Harauvatiyâ \ thâtiy \ Dârayavauš \ xšâ
  3. yathiya \ yâtâ \ adam \ Pârsaiy \ u[t]â \ Mâdaiy \ âham \ patiy \ duvitîyam \
  4. Bâbiruviyâ \ hamiçiyâ \ abava \ hacâma \ I martiya \ Arxa \ nâma \ Armini
  5. ya \ Halditahya \ puça \ hauv \ udapatatâ \ Bâbirauv \ Dubâla \ nâmâ \ dahyâ
  6. uš \ hacâ \ avadaša \ hauv \ kârahyâ \ avathâ \ adurujiya \ adam \ Nabukud
  7. racara \ amiy \ hya \ Nabunaitahya \ puça \ pasâva \ kâra \ Bâbiruviya \ hacâma \ ha
  8. miçiya \ abava \ abiy \ avam \ Arxam \ ašiyava \ Bâbirum \ hauv \ agarbâyat
  9. â \ hauv \ xšâyathiya \ abava \ Bâbirauv \ thâtiy \ Dârayavauš \ xšâyathi

(48) King Darius says: Then was the province mine. This is what was done by me in Arachosia.

(49) King Darius says: While I was in Persia and in Media, the Babylonians revolted from me a second time. A certain man named Arakha, an Armenian, son of Haldita, rebelled in Babylon. At a place called Dubâla, he lied unto the people, saying: 'I am Nebuchadnezzar, the son of Nabonidus.' Then did the Babylonian people revolt from me and they went over to that Arakha. He seized Babylon, he became king in Babylon.