Articles on ancient history
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.
(4) KingDarius says: Eight of my dynasty were kings before me; I am the ninth. Nine in succession we have been kings.
(5) King Darius says: By the grace ofAhuramazda am I king; Ahuramazda has granted me the kingdom.
(6) King Darius says: These are the countries which are subject unto me, and by the grace of Ahuramazda I became king of them: Persia,Elam,Babylonia,Assyria,Arabia, Egypt, the countries by the Sea,Lydia, theGreeks,Media,Armenia,Cappadocia,Parthia,Drangiana,Aria,Chorasmia,Bactria,Sogdia,Gandara,Scythia,Sattagydia,Arachosia andMaka; twenty-three lands in all.