Behistun T 12
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 2, lines 1-8
- \ thâtiy \ Dârayavauš \ xšâyathiya \ pasâva \ Naditabaira \ ha
- dâ \ kamnaibiš \ asabâraibiš \ amutha \ Bâbirum \ ašiya
- va \ pasâva \ adam \ Bâbirum \ ašiyavam \ vašnâ \ Auramazdâha \ utâ Bâ
- birum \ agarbâyam \ utâ \ avam \ Naditabairam \ agarbâyam \ pasâva \ ava
- m \ Naditabairam \ adam \ Bâbirauv \ avâjanam \ thâtiy \ Dârayavauš \ x
- šâyathiya \ yâtâ \ adam \ Babirauv \ âham \ imâ \ dahyâva \ tyâ \ hacâma \ ha
- miçiyâ \ abava \ Pârsa \ Ûvja \ Mâda \ Athurâ \ Mudrâya \ Parthava \ Marguš \ Tha
- taguš \ Saka \ thâtiy \ Dârayavauš \ xšâyathiya \ I martiya \ Martiya \ nâ
(20) King Darius says: Then did Nidintu-Bêl with a few horsemen into Babylon. Thereupon I marched to Babylon. By the grace of Ahuramazda I took Babylon, and captured Nidintu-Bêl. Then I slew that Nidintu-Bêl in Babylon.
(21) King Darius says: While I was in Babylon, these provinces revolted from me: Persia, Elam, Media, Assyria, Egypt, Parthia, Margiana, Sattagydia, and Scythia.