The
ancient words of Darius on the Behistun Rock
Translation of the Inscription
Column
1
I am Darius, the great King, the King of Kings, the King of Persia, the King of
the provinces, the son of Hystaspes, the grandson of Arsames, the Achaemenian.
Says Darius the King: My father was Hystaspes; of Hystaspes the father was
Arsames; of Arsames the father was Ariyaramnes; of Ariyaramnes the father was
Teispes; of Teispes the father was Achaemenes.
Says Darius the King: On that account we are called Achaemenians; from
antiquity we have descended; from antiquity those of our race have been Kings.
Says Darius the King: There are eight of my race who have been Kings before me,
I am the ninth; for a very long time we have been Kings.
Says Darius the King: By the grace of Ormazd I am King; Ormazd has granted me
the empire.
Says Darius the King: These are the countries which belong to me, by the grace
of Ormazd I have become King of them, Persia, Susiana, Babylonia, Assyria,
Arabia, Egypt, those which are of the sea, Sparta, Ionia, Media, Armenia,
Cappadocia, Parthia, Zarangia, Aria, Chorasmia, Bactria, Sogdiana, Gandara, the
Sacae, the Satagydes, Arachosia, and Mecia, in all twenty-three
countries.
Says Darius the King: These are the countries which belong to me; by the grace
of Ormazd they have become subject to me, they have brought tribute to me. That
which has been said unto them by me, both by night and by day it has been
performed by them.
Says Darius the King: Within these countries whoever was good, him have I
cherished and protected; whoever was evil, him have I utterly destroyed. By the
grace of Ormazd these countries have obeyed my laws. As to them it has been
said by me, thus has it been done by them.
Says Darius the King: Ormazd granted me the empire. Ormazd brought help to me
so that I gained this empire. By the grace of Ormazd I hold this empire.
Says Darius the King: This is what was done by me, before I became King. He who
was named Cambyses the son of Cyrus of our race, he was here King before me.
There was of that Cambyses a brother named Bardes; he was of the same father
and mother as Cambyses. Afterwards Cambyses slew this Bardes. When Cambyses
slew Bardes it was not known to the state that Bardes was killed. Then Cambyses
proceeded to Egypt. When Cambyses had gone to Egypt, the state became wicked;
then the lie became abounding in the land, both in Persia and in Media, and in
the other provinces.
Says Darius the King: Afterwards there was a certain man, a Magian, named
Gomates. He arose from Pissiachada, the mountain named Arakadres, from thence;
on the 14th day of the month Viyakhana then it was
that he arose. To the state he thus falsely declared: I am Bardes the son of
Cyrus, the brother of Cambyses. Then the whole state became rebellious; from
Cambyses it went over to him, both Persia and Media, and the other provinces.
He seized the empire; on the 9th
day of the month Garmapada [the 5th
month], then it was he thus seized the empire. Afterwards Cambyses killing
himself died.
Says Darius the King: The empire, of which Gomates, the Magian, dispossessed
Cambyses, that empire had been in our family from the olden time. After Gomates
the Magian had dispossessed Cambyses of Persia and Media and the dependent
provinces, he acted with his own party, he became king.
Says Darius the King: There was not a man, neither Persian, nor Median, nor any
one of our family, who could dispossess of the empire that Gomates, the Magian.
The state feared him exceedingly. He slew many people who had known the old
Bardes; for that reason he slew the people Lest they should recognize me that
I am not Bardes the son of Cyrus. There was not any one bold enough to say
aught against Gomates the Magian until I arrived. Then I prayed to Ormazd;
Ormazd brought help to me. On the 10th
day of the month Bagayadish [first month] then it was, with my faithful men I
slew that Gomates, the Magian and the chief men who were his followers. The
fort named Sictachotes, in the district of Media, named Nisaea, there I slew
him; I dispossessed him of the empire. By the grace of Ormazd I became King;
Ormazd granted me the scepter.
Says Darius the King: The empire that had been wrested from our race, that I
recovered, I established it in its place; as in the days of old; thus I did .
The temples which Gomates the Magian had destroyed, I rebuilt; I reinstituted
for the state the sacred chaunts and (sacrificial) worship, and confided them
to the families which Gomates the Magian had deprived of those offices. I
established the kingdom in its place, both Persia and Media, and the other
provinces; as in the days of old; thus I restored that which had been taken
away. By the grace of Ormazd I did this. I laboured until I had established our
family in its place as in the days of old. I laboured, by the grace of Ormazd,
(in order) that Gomates the Magian might not supersede our family.
Says Darius the King: That is that which I did after that I became king.
Says Darius the King: When I had slain Gomates the Magian, then a certain man,
named Atrines, the son of Opadarmes, he arose; to the state of Susiana he thus
said: I am King of Susiana. Then the people of Susiana became rebellious;
they went over to that Atrines; he became King of Susiana. And a certain man, a
Babylonian, named Nadinta-belus the son of Aenares, he arose. The state of
Babylonia he thus falsely addressed: I am Nabochodrossor the son of
Nabonidus. Then the entire Babylonian state went over to that Nadinta-belus.
Babylon became rebellious. He seized the government of Babylonia.
Says Darius the King: Then I sent to Susiana; that Atrines was brought to me a
prisoner. I slew him.
Says Darius the King: Then I proceeded to Babylon against that Nadinta-belus,
who was called Nabochodrossor. The forces of Nadinta-belus held the Tigris;
there they had come, and they had boats. Then I divided my army; one portion I
supplied with camels; the other I mounted on horses; Ormazd brought help to me;
by the grace of Ormazd I succeeded in passing the Tigris. Then I entirely
defeated the army of that Nadinta-belus. On the 27th day of the month of Atriyatiya [9th month] then it was that we thus fought.
Says Darius the King: Then I marched against Babylon. When I arrived near
Babylon, the city named Zazana, upon the Euphrates, there that Nadinta-belus
who was called Nabochodrossor, came with a force before me offering battle.
Then we fought a battle. Ormazd brought help to me; by the grace of Ormazd, I
entirely defeated the force of Nadinta-belus. A part of the army was driven
into the water; the water destroyed them. On the 2nd day of the month Anamaka [10th month], then it was that we thus fought
the battle.
[End
of Column No. 1, which extends to ninety-six lines, and the writing of which is
generally in good preservation.]
COLUMN 2
Says Darius the King: Then Nadinta-belus with a few horsemen fled to Babylon.
Then I proceeded to Babylon; I both took Babylon and seized that Nadinta-belus.
Afterwards I slew that Nadinta-belus at Babylon.
Says Darius the King: Whilst I was at Babylon these are the countries which
revolted against me: Persis, Susiana, Media, Assyria, Armenia, Parthia,
Margiana, Sattagydia, and Sacia
COLUMN 5
A.
Repetition of the first four paragraphs of Column 1 above.
B.
Tablet attached to the prostrate figure on which the victor King
tramples:
This Gomates, the Magian, was an imposter; he thus declared, I am Bardes, the
son of Cyrus. I am the King.
C.
Adjoining the first standing figure:
This
Atrines was an impostor; he thus declared; I am King of Susiana.
D.
Adjoining the second standing figure:
This
Nadinta-belus was an impostor; he thus declared, I am Nabochodrossor, the son
of Nabonidus; I am King of Babylon.
E.
Adjoining the third standing figure:
This
Phraortes was an impostor; he thus declared, I am Xathrites, of the race of
Cyaxares; I am King of Media.
F.
Above the fourth standing figure:
This
Martes was an impostor; he thus declared, I am Imanes, the King of Susiana.
G.
Adjoining the fifth standing figure:
This
Sitratachmes was an impostor; he thus declared, I am King of Sagartia, of the
race of Cyaxares.
H.
Adjoining the sixth standing figure:
This
Veisdates was an impostor; he thus declared, I am Bardes, the son of Cyrus. I
am the King.
I.
Adjoining the seventh standing figure:
This
Aracus was an impostor; he thus declared, I am Nabochodrossor, the son of
Nabonidus. I am the King of Babylon.
J.
Adjoining the eighth standing fugure:
This
Phraates was an impostor; he thus declared, I am the King of Margiana.
K.
Above the ninth or supplemental figure with the high cap:
This
is Sakuka, the Sacan.