The Great Inscription of Darius at Behistun (ca. 500 B.C.E.)
The inscription of Darius I (522-486) is engraved on the face of a cliff that rises 1700 feet and the inscription itself is 300 feet from the base of the rock. It is in three languages, Persian, Babylonian, and Susian. In many ways this is among the most important and interesting inscriptions preserved from antiquity.
I am Darius the great king, the king of kings, the king of the subject provinces, the son of Hystaspes, the grandson of Arsames, the Achaemenian.
Says Darius the King: . . . from antiquity our family have been kings.
Says Darius the King: There are eight of my race who have been kings before me, I am the ninth.
Says Darius the King: By the grace of Ahura-Mazda I am king, Ahura-Mazda has granted me the empire. Says Darius the King, These are the countries which have come unto me, by the grace of Ahura-Mazda I have become king over them; — Persia, Susiana, Babylonia, Assyria, Arabia, Egypt, . . . lonia, Media, Armenia, Cappadocia, Parthia, Bactria, the Sacae [and other lands,] in all twenty-three provinces.
Says Darius the King: Within those countries the man who was good, him have I right well cherished. Whoever was evil, him have I utterly rooted out. By the grace of Ahura-Mazda these are the countries by whom my laws have been observed; as it has been said to them by me so by them it has been done.
Says Darius the King: This is what was done by me after I became king. There was a man named Cambyses the son of Cyrus who was king before me [529 to 522 B.C.]. Of that Cambyses there was a brother,—Bardiya was his name. . . . Presently Cambyses slew this Bardiya. When he had slain Bardiya it was not known to the people that Bardiya was slain; then Cambyses proceeded to [the conquest of] Egypt. When Cambyses had gone thither to Egypt the state became wicked. Then the Lie abounded in the land, — in Persia, in Media, and in the other provinces.
Says Darius the King: Next there arose a certain man, a Magian, named Gaumata. . . . Thus he lied to the state, “I am Bardiya, son of Cyrus and brother of Cambyses.” Then the whole empire became rebellious; from Cambyses it went over to him, —Persia, Media, and all the other provinces. He seized the empire. . . . Afterward Cambyses, unable to endure this, died.
Says Darius the King: The empire of which Gaumata the Magian dispossessed Cambyses, that Empire from the olden time had been long in our family. After Gaumata had dispossessed Cambyses … he did according to his desire, — he became king.
Says Darius the King: There was not a man, neither Persian nor Median nor any of our family, who could dispossess that Gaumata of the crown. The state feared him exceedingly. He slew many people who had known the old Bardiya, — and for this reason he slew them, — “Lest they should recognize that I am not Bardiya the son of Cyrus.” No one dared to say anything concerning Gaumata until I arrived. Then I prayed unto Ahura-Mazda. He brought me help. On the tenth day of the month Bagaydish, then it was that with my faithful men I slew Gaumata and his chief followers. At the fort Sictachotes in that district of Media called Nisaea there I slew him. I dispossessed him of the empire. By the grace of Ahura-Mazda I became king. He granted me the scepter.
Says Darius the King: The empire that had been taken from our family that I recovered. I rooted it in its place. . . . The temples which Gaumata had destroyed I restored. The sacred offices of the state, both the religious chants and the worship, I restored to the people who had been deprived of them by Gaumata. I established the state in its place both in Persia, Media, and in the provinces. . . .
Says Darius the King: When I had slain Gaumata the Magian, then a man named Atrines arose. . . . . to the state of Susiana he said, “I am the king of Susiana.” Then the Susianians became rebellious, they went over to Atrines, he became king over Susiana. And a man, a Babylonian Nidintabelus by name, he arose, to the state of Babylon he falsely declared “I am Nabuchodrossor, the son of Nabonidus”; afterward the whole state of Babylon became rebellious. He seized the kingdom of Babylonia.
How Darius won back the Rebellious Provinces
Says Darius the King: Then I went to Susa. That Atrines was brought to me a prisoner. I slew him.
Says Darius the King: Then I went to Babylon against that Nidintabelus. . . . His people held the Tigris. There they were posted and they had boats. There I approached a detachment on rafts. I brought the enemy into difficulty. I carried their position. Ahura-Mazda brought me help.
By His grace I crossed the Tigris. There I slew many of the troops of that Nidintabelus. On the twenty-sixth day of the month Atriyata it was we fought the battle.
Says Darius the King: Then I went to Babylon. When I was near to Babylon, at the city called Zazana, on the Euphrates, there it was that Nidintabelus, who was called Nabuchodrossor, came with his forces against me to do battle. Then we fought a battle. Ahura-Mazda helped me; by His grace I slew many of the troops of Nidintabelus. The enemy was driven (?) into the water. The water destroyed them.
Says Darius the King: Then Nidintabelus with the horsemen that were faithful to him fled to Babylon. Then I went to Babylon. By the grace of Ahura-Mazda. I both took Babylon, and seized that Nidintabelus. Then I slew that Nidintabelus at Babylon.
Says Darius the King: while I was at Babylon these are the countries that revolted against me, — Persia, Media, Assyria, Armenia, Parthia, Margiana, Sattagydia, Sacia. [In Susiana also arose another usurper, one Martiya, but]
Says Darius the King: While I was moving a little in the direction of Susiana, then the Susianians, fearing me, seized that Martiya. He who was their chief slew him.
Says Darius the King: A man named Phraortes, a Mede, he rose up. To the state of Media he said, “I am Athrites of the race of Cynaxares.” Then the Median troops that were with him revolted; they went over to him; he became king over Media.
Says Darius the King: The army of Persians and Medes that was with me remained faithful to me. Then I sent forth troops; Hydarnes, a Persian, I made their leader, and thus I spake to them, “Go forth and smite the Median state that does not acknowledge me.” Then Hydarnes marched with his army; when he reached Media, at a city in Media named Marus (?), he fought a battle with the Medes. The leader of the Medes could not resist him. Ahura-Mazda brought help to me, by His grace the troops of Hydarnes utterly defeated that rebel army. . . . Then that army of mine waited for me . . . until I arrived in Media.
[Other generals of Darius were in the meantime crushing the formidable revolt in Armenia.]
Says Darius the King: Then I went out from Babylon, I proceeded to Media. When I reached . . . a city called Kudrusia, there Phraortes, who was called “King of Media” came with a host to give me battle. Then we fought a battle. Ahura-Mazda aided me; with His help I entirely defeated the army of Phraortes.
Says Darius the King; Then Phraortes . . . fled to a part of Media called Rhages. There I sent an army, by which he was taken and brought before me. I cut off his nose, and his ears, and his tongue (?), and I led him away captive. He was kept captive before my door; all the kingdom beheld him. Then I crucified him at Ecbatana; and his chief followers I slew within the citadel of Ecbatana.
[In similar manner Darius tells how the rebels in Sagartia, Parthia, Margiana, Bactria, etc., were crushed by him. There was a second revolt in Babylonia, another false Bardiya arose in Persia, but Darius subdued all his enemies. The inscription continues:]
Says Darius the King: This is what I have done. By the grace of Ahura-Mazda I have accomplished the whole. After that [other rebel] kings arose against me. I fought nineteen battles. By Ahura-Mazda’s grace I smote them and took nine kings prisoners.
[Then follows a list of the rebels and the provinces that followed them] . . .
Darius’s Instructions to his Successor
Says Darius the King: Thou that mayest be king after me, keep thyself utterly from lies. The man who may be a liar, him destroy utterly. If thou shall thus do, my country will remain in its integrity.
Says Darius the King: These are the deeds I have done. By the grace of Ahura-Mazda have I executed the whole. Thou who shalt read this tablet hereafter, let that which I have done be a warning to thee, that thou lie not. . . .
Says Darius the King: Beware, my successor (?), lest that which has been wrought by me, be not by thee concealed. If thou conceal not this edict, but tell it to the country, may Ahura-Mazda be a friend to thee, may thy children be many, and mayest thou live long.
Says Darius the King: This is the reason that Ahura-Mazda and the other heavenly powers helped me,—because I was not wicked, nor was I a liar, nor was I tyrannical. …
He who labored for my family, him I have cherished; he who has been hostile (?) to me, him have I utterly destroyed.
Says Darius the King: Thou who mayest be king afterward, the man that is a liar and an evil-doer (?) befriend him not. Destroy such with the edge of the sword.
[The remainder of the tablet, so far as it can still be read, invokes blessings on whoever shall preserve the inscription, invokes curses on any who may destroy it, gives a list of the six friends of Darius who aided him to slay Gaumata, the usurper, and gives a much mutilated account of still another revolt that Darius quelled in Susiana.]