par. 1 dišu2 dišda-ri-ia-ma-¿u •-iš dišeššana ir-ša2-ir-ra dišeššana dišeššanaip-

in-na dišeššana ašbar-šipx-ik-ka4 dišeššana diš¿da•-a-¿u2-iš-bena•

dišmi-¿iš•-da-aš2-ba ša2-ak-ri diš¿ir•-ša2-ma dišru-uÌ-Ìu-ša2-

ak-ri dišÌa-ka4-man-nu-ši-ia

par. 2 a-ak ¿dišda•-[ri]-¿ia-ma•-u-iš dišeššana na-an-ri ¿dišu2•

diš¿ad•-da-da dišmi-iš-da-aš2-ba a-ak dišmi-iš-da-aš2-ba dišat-te-ri

dišir-¿ša2-um-ma a•-[ak] ¿dišir-ša2•-um-ma ¿dišat•-te-ri diš¿Ìarri•-

ia-¿ra•-um-na a-ak dišÌar-ri-ia-ra-um-na dišat-te-r¿i• dišzi2-

iš-pi-iš a-¿ak dišzi2•-[iš-pi]-¿iš• [diš]¿at-te-ri dišÌa•-ak-ka4-mannu-

¿iš•

par. 3 a-¿ak• diš¿da•-ri-ia-ma-u-iš dišeššana na-an-ri Ìu-uÌ-be in-

¿tuk•-ki-me dišnu-ku dišnumun-¿meš dišÌa-ak•-[ka4-man]-¿nuiš-

ši•-ia ¿ti-ri•-ma-nu-un ša2-¿aš2-ša2-da• ka4-¿ra-da-la•-ri

dišša2-lu-u2-ud a-ak ša2-aš2-ša2-da ¿ka4•-ra-¿da•-la-ri dišnumun-

¿meš diš•[nu]-¿ka4-mi• [dišeššana-ip]

par. 3 a-¿ak• diš¿da • -ri-ia-ma-u-iš dišeššana na-an-ri Ìu-uÌ-be in-

¿tuk • -ki-me dišnu-ku dišnumun-¿meš dišÌa-ak • -[ka4-man]-¿nuiš-

ši • -ia ¿ti-ri • -ma-nu-un ša2-¿aš2-ša2-da• ka4-¿ra-da-la • -ri

dišša2-lu-u2-ud a-ak ša2-aš2-ša2-da ¿ka4 • -ra-¿da • -la-ri dišnumun-

¿meš diš • [nu]-¿ka4-mi• [dišeššana-ip]

par. 4 ¿a-ak diš • da-ri-¿ia-ma • -[u]-iš diš¿eššana• na-an-ri 8 dišeššana-ip

dišnumun-meš dišu2-ni-na ap-pu-[ka4] dišeššana-me mar-ri-iš

¿dišu2 9-um • -[me-ma dišeššana-me] ¿Ìu-ud-da ša2-ma-ak-mar•

dišnu-¿ku dišeššana-ip • -u2-ut

par. 5 a-ak dišda-ri-ia-ma-u-iš dišeššana na-an-ri za-u-¿mi-in• [du]-

¿ra • -[maš-da-na diš]¿eššana-me dišu2 Ìu-ud • -da du-¿ra-maš-da•

diš¿eššana-me diš • u2 du-nu-iš

 

par. 6 a-ak dišda-ri-ia-ma-u-iš dišeššana na-an-ri diš¿da • -[a]-¿ia • -[u-iš

Ìi ap-pa] ¿dišu2-ni-na ti • -ri-iš-¿ti za-u-mi-in du-ra • -maš-dana

dišu2 dišeššana-me ap-pi-ni Ìu-ud-[d]a dišbar-šipx a-ak dišÌa-

¿tam5 • -[tup a-ak dišba-pi-li-i]p ¿a-ak dišaš2 • -šu-ra-¿ip a • -[ak

dišÌar]-¿ba-ia • -ip a-ak dišmu-iz-za-ri-ia-ip a-a[k] diš.dkam-meš-ip

a-ak diš¿iš • -[par2-ti-ia-ip a]-¿ak diši-ia-u • -na-ip a-¿ak diš • [ma]-

¿da-be a-ak• dišÌar-mi-nu-ia-ip a-ak diška4-at-¿ba • -du-kaš-be

a-ak dišpar2-tu-¿ma • -[ip a-ak dišsir-ra]-¿in-kaš-be a-ak• dišÌa-ri-

¿mi-ia • -[ip a]-¿ak dišma • -raš2-mi-ia-ip a-ak dišba-ak-ši-iš a-ak

diššu-ug-taš-be a-¿ak• [dišba-ir-ra?-u2

?-pa/ba?]-¿ri?-sa-na a-ak•

dišša2-ak-¿ka4-be a-ak• [diš]¿sa-ad-da • -ku-iš a-ak dišÌar-ra-uma-

ti-iš ¿a • -ak dišma-ak-ka4 PAP ir tar-¿tin • -[na 23 dišda-a-iau]-

¿iš•

par. 7 ¿a-ak• dišda-¿ri-ia • -[ma-u]-¿iš dišeššana na • -an-ri dišda-a-ia-uiš

Ìi ap-pa dišu2-ni-na ti-ri-iš-ti za-u-mi-¿in• [du-ra-maš-da-na]

¿daš li-ba-me dišu2 • -ni-na ¿Ìu-ud-da-iš• [ba-zi2]-¿iš• dišu2-nina

ku-ti-iš ap-pa dišu2 dišap ti-ri-ia dši-ut-ma-¿na• [dna-a-ma-nama

Ìu]-¿uÌ-be Ìu-ud-da • -iš

par. 8 ¿a-ak dišda • -[ri]-¿ia-ma • -u-iš dišeššana na-an-ri dišda-a-ia-[u]-iš

Ìi Ìa-ti-ma dišlu2-meš-ir-¿ra• [diš?ak?-ka4

? diš?kur?-ma?-x-x Ì]u

-¿pir2-ri ir ku • -uk-ti ¿ak-ka4 dišÌal-la-ma • -ir Ìu-pir2-ri šil-laka4

mi-ul-e Ìa-¿pi• za-u-mi-in du-ra-maš-¿da • -[na da-ad?-da?

dišu2]-¿ni-na dišda-a • -ia-u-¿iš Ìi Ìa-ti-ma ku-uk • -da-ak ap-pa

an-ka4 dišu2-ik-ki-¿mar• ap ti-ri-ik-ka4 Ìu-uÌ-be ¿Ìu-ud • -[da-iš]

par. 9 ¿a-ak dišda-ri • -ia-ma-¿u-iš dišeššana• [na-an]-¿ri d • u-ra-mašda

Ìi dišeššana-me diš¿u2 du • -nu-iš a-ak du-ra-maš-da pi-¿ik • -[ti

dišu2 da-iš ku]-¿iš dišeššana-me Ìi• šil-la a-¿ak za-u-mi • -[in

d]¿u-ra • -maš-da-na dišu2 dišeššana-me mar-r[i]-¿ia•

par. 10 a-ak dišda-ri-ia-¿ma-u • -[iš dišeššana na-an-ri] ¿Ìi ap-pa dišu2•

Ìu-ud-¿da za • -[u]-¿mi-in du-ra-maš • -da-na me-ni sa-ap

ap-pa [dišešša]na-me du-ma diškan2-bu-zi2-ia ¿Ìi • -[še dišku-raš2

dišša2-ak-r]i ¿dišnumun-meš dišnu-ka4 • -mi Ìu-¿pir2-ri ša2

?-aš2-

ša2

? aš?ma-ad • -da dišeššana-me mar-ri-iš diš¿kan2 • -[bu]-zi2-ia

Ìu-pir2-ri diši-gi-¿ri• [dišbir3-ti-ia Ìi-še] ¿daš da-ma a-ak•

fam-¿ma ad-da i-da • -ak a-ak diškan2-bu-zi2-¿ia• Ìu-pir2-ri

dišbir3-ti-ia ir Ìal-pi-¿iš sa • -[ap diškan2-bu-zi2-i]a ¿dišbir3-ti-ia•

ir Ìal-¿pi-iš dištaš • -[šu]-¿ip2 in-ni• tur-na-iš ap-p[a] dišbir3-ti-ia

Ìal-pi-ka4 me-ni diškan2-bu-zi2-ia dišmu-¿iz-za • -[ri-ia-ip-ik]-¿ki

pa-ri-iš• me-ni ¿dištaš-šu-ip2 mi-ul?-ka4 • -iš ku-ud-da ¿ti-ut • -kime

dišda-a-ia-u-iš Ìa-ti-ma ir-še-¿ik-ki Ìu? • -[ud?-tuk? ku-ud-d]

a ¿dišbar-šipx-ik-ki• ku-ud-¿da dišma-da-be-ik-ki• a-ak ku-ud-da

dišda-a-ia-u-iš ap-pa da-a-e Ìa-ti-ma ¿a-ak• [me-ni dišlu2-meš

ki]-¿ir dišma-ku-iš diš • kam-¿ma-ad-da Ìi-še Ìu-pir2-ri• ašnaaš2-

i[r-ma] aškur-meš ašÌa-rak2-ka4-tar-ri-iš Ìi-še Ìa-mi-¿mar•

[14? d ?na?-an? d]¿iti-meš dmi-kan2-na • -iš-¿na pi-ir-ka4• [Ìi

zi2]-¿la i • -ma-ka4 Ìu-¿pir2 • -[ri] ¿diš • taš-šu-ip2 dišap ir ti-tukka4

na-an-ri dišu2 diš¿bir3-ti • -[ia dišku-raš2 dišdumu-ri] ¿diškan2-

bu-zi2 • -ia ¿diši-gi • -[ri ma]-¿ra me-ni• dištaš-šu-ip2 mar-ri-da

diškan2-bu-zi2-ia-ik-ki-mar ¿be • -[ip-ti-ib-ba Ìu-pir2]-¿ri-ik-ki

pa • -ri-¿iš ku-ud-da• [diš]¿bar-šipx a-ak• ku-ud-[d]a dišma-da-be

a-ak ku-ud-da dišda-a-ia-u-iš ¿ap-pa da • -[a-e a?-ak? diš]¿eššaname

Ìu-pir2-ri• mar-¿ri-iš 9 dna-an d • iti-meš dkar-ma-bad-taš-na

 

pi-ir-ka4 Ìi zi2-la diškan2-bu-zi2-¿ia ir• [mar?-ri?-iš?/ik? a]-¿ak

me-ni diškan2-bu • -zi2-¿ia Ìal-pi du- Ìi-e-ma Ìal • -pi-ik

par. 11 a-ak dišda-ri-ia-ma-u-iš dišeššana na-an-¿ri dišeššana-me• [ammin2

?-nu? ap]-¿pa diškam-ma-ad • -da ¿ak-ka4 dišma • -[ku]-¿iš

diš • kan2-bu-zi2-ia e-mi du-iš-ti dišeššana-me am-min2-nu ka4-ra-

¿da-la-ri• [dišnumun-meš dišnu-ka4]-¿mi daš me-ni diš • kam-ma-

¿ad-da ak-ka4 dišma • -ku-iš diškan2-bu-zi2-ia e-mi du-iš ku-ud-da

dišbar-šipx a-¿ak ku • -[ud-da dišma]-¿da-be a-ak ku-ud • -da ¿dišda-

a-ia • -[u]-¿iš ap • -pa da-a-e Ìu-pir2-ri e-mi du-ša2 du-man-e

Ìu-ut-taš diš¿eššana-me• [Ìu-pir2-ri mar]-¿ri-iš•

par. 12 ¿a-ak dišda-ri-ia-ma-u-iš• dišeššana ¿na • -an-ri dišlu2-meš-ir-ra

in-na ša3-ri ¿in! • -[ni ki?-ri? in-ni diš]¿bar-šir8-ra in • -ni ¿dišma-

da a-ak in-ni dišnumun • -meš dišnu-ka4-mi ak-ka4 diškamma-

ad-da dišma-ku-iš dišeššana-me ¿e-mi du • -[man?-ra? diš]¿taššu-

ip2 šil-la • -ka4 ir ip-ši-¿iš dištaš-šu-ip2 ir • -še-ik-ki ¿Ìal • -pi-iš

dišak-ka4-be ša2-aš2-ša2 dišbir3-ti-ia ir tur-na-iš-¿ti Ìu-be• [intuk-

ki]-¿me dištaš-šu-ip2 ir-še • -ik-¿ki Ìal-pi-iš• [a]-¿nu dišu2 ir•

tur-na-¿um • -pi ap-pa dišu2 in-ni dišbir3-ti-ia ak-ka4 dišku-¿raš2

dišša2-ak-ri a-ak dišak-ka4-ri aš2 • -ki diš¿kam-ma-ad-da dišmaku-

iš• tu-¿ba • -ka4 in-ni li-ul-ma-ak ku-iš dišu2 ši-in-¿nu-gi-ut

me • -[ni dišu2 du]-ra-maš-da bat-ti • -ia-man-¿ia-a du-ra-maš-da•

pi-¿ik-ti diš • u2 da-iš za-u-mi-in du-ra-maš-da-na 10 ¿dna-an• [diti-

meš d]¿ba-gi-ia-ti • -iš-na pi-¿ir-ka4 Ìi zi2-la dišlu2-meš • Ì[a]-

¿ri • -ki-ip i-da-ka4 dišu2 diškam-ma-ad-da ¿ak-ka4 dišma • -[ku-iš

ir] ¿Ìal-pi-ia ku-ud • -da dišlu2-¿meš ap-pa Ìa-tar-ri-man-nu

da • -[mi] ¿Ìu • -pa-ip-pi i-da-ka4 ašÌu-ma-nu-iš ašši-¿ik • -[ka4-ia?-

ma?-ti?-iš] ¿Ìi-še ašnu • -iš-ša2-ia Ìi-še aš¿da-a-ia-u2 • -iš ¿diš • [ma]-

¿da • -be-ik-ki Ìa-mi ir Ìal-pi-ia dišeššana-me dišu2 ¿e-mi du • -[ma

za-u-mi]-¿in du-ra-maš • -da-na diš¿u2 dišeššana-me Ìu-ud-da

du • -[ra]-¿maš • -da dišeššana-me dišu2 du-nu-iš

par. 13 a-ak ¿dišda • -[ri-ia-ma-u-iš diš]¿eššana na-an-ri diš • eššana-me

¿ap-pa dišnumun-meš• [dišnu]-¿ka4-mi-ik • -[ki]-mar ku-ut-ka4-

la ir-rak2-ki Ìu-be dišu2 tin-gi-¿ia dišu2• [ka4-te-ma zik-ki]-¿da

sa-ap• ap-pa an-¿ka4 ap-pu • -[ka4]-¿da Ìi zi2-la• [a?-ak?] dišu2

dzi2-ia-an dna-ap-pan-na Ìu-¿ud-da ap-pa• [diškam-ma-ad-da]

¿ak-ka4 diš • ma-ku-iš ¿sa-ri-iš • -[da a]-¿ak dišu2• [dištaš]-¿šu • -

ip2-na lu-taš a-ak aš2 a-ak diškur-taš a-¿ak ašul-Ìi-meš• [x-x-x]-

¿ma ap• pi-li-ia ¿ap-pa diškam-ma-ad-da ak • -[ka4] ¿diš • maku-

iš e-ma-ap du-iš-da a-ak dišu2 ¿dištaš-šu-ip2• [ka4-at?-te-ma]

¿zik-ki • -da ku-ud-da ¿dišbar-šipx a-ak ku-ud-da dišma • -da-be

a-ak ku-ud-da dišda-a-ia-u2-iš ¿ap-pa da • -[a-e ku?-ud?]-¿da Ìi

zi2 • -la sa-ap ap-¿pa an-ka4 ap-pu-ka4-da dišu2 ap • -pa ku-ut-ka4-

la ir-rak2-ki Ìu-be tin-gi-ia za-¿u-mi • -[in du-ra-maš]-¿da • -na Ìi

dišu2 Ìu-ud-¿da dišu2 ba-li-ik-me za • -[u2

?]-¿ma• ku-iš ašul-Ìimeš

dišnu-ka4-mi aška4-te-ma zik-¿ki-da• [Ìi zi2-la sa]-¿ap ap • -

pu-ka4-da a-ak diš¿u2 ba-li-ik-me za • -[u2

?-ma za]-¿u • -mi-in

du-ra-maš-da-na ap-pa diškam-ma-ad-¿da• [ak-ka4 dišma-ku-iš]

¿ašul • -Ìi-meš dišnu-ka4-mi in-ni ku-¿ut-kal3 ir-ra • -[iš?-da?]

par. 14 a-ak dišda-ri-ia-ma-u-iš dišeššana na-an-ri ¿Ìi ap-pa• [dišu2-nina]

¿Ìu-ud-da • -ak sa-ap ap-¿pa an-ka4 ap-pu-ka4 dišeššana-me

mar • -ri-ia

 

¿ak-ri• [Ìu]-¿pir2-ri ašba-pi • -[li] ¿i-ma-ka4 dištaš-šu-ip2-be Ìi

zi2-la ap-pi ¿ir ti-tuk-ka4 na-an-ri diš • u2 dišnab-ku-tur-ru-¿sir•

[diš]¿dumu nab-bu-ni-da-na• [me]-¿ni• dištaš-šu-ip2 ap-pa dišbapi-

li-ip mar-ri-¿da dišnu-ti-ut-be-ul Ìu-pir2 • -ri-ik-ki ¿pa-ri-iš

me-ni dišba-pi-li-ip be • -ip-ti-ip dišeššana-me ap-pa dišba-pi-li-ib-be

Ìu-¿pir2-ri mar-ri-iš•

par. 16 a-ak diš¿da-ri-ia-ma-u-iš dišeššana na • -an-ri me-ni dišu2 dišÌu-utlak

Ìa-tam5-tup-¿ik-ki tin-gi-ia dišÌa • -iš-ši-na Ìu-pir2-¿ri mar-rika4

rab2-ba-ka4 dišu2-ik • -ki tin-gi-ik me-ni dišu2 ir Ìal-pi

par. 17 ¿a-ak dišda-ri • -ia-ma-u-iš dišeššana na-¿an-ri me-ni dišu2 ašbapi-

li pa-ri • -ia dišnu-ti-ut-be-ul Ìu-pir2-ri-ik-ka4 ak-¿ka4 na-an-ri

dišu2 dišnab-ku-tur • -ru-sir diš¿taš-šu-ip2 ap-pa dišnu-ti-ut-be-ul Ìupir2 • -

ri-na aša-meš ašti-ig-ra Ìi-še Ìa-mi ¿be-sa-ib-ba? ašti-ig • -ra

ašša3-ri-¿ut mar-ri-iš ku-ud-da aša-meš• [Ìu?]-uÌ-be gešma2-mešna

me-ni dišu2 dištaš-šu-¿ip2 maš-ka4-um-ma• [Ìa]-¿zik-ka4

ap • -pa-pa anše-a-¿ab-ba-meš-ma ap-pi-in be-ib-la ap-pa-pa•

anše-kur-ra-meš ir be-ib-li-ib-¿ba du-ra-maš-da pi-ik-ti diš • u2 daiš

za-¿u-mi-in du-ra-maš-da-na ašti-ig • -ra an-la-gi-u2-ut-ta Ìa-mi

dištaš-¿šu-ip2 ap-pa dišnu-ti-ut-be-ul Ìu-pir2-ri-na• Ìal-pi-¿ia 26

dna-an diti-meš d • [Ì]a-iš-ši-ia-ti-ia-iš-na pi-ir-ka4 ¿Ìi zi2-la ša2-

par2-rak2-um-me Ìu-ud • -da-Ìu-¿ut ir-še-ik-ki dištaš-šu-ip2 • -[e?

Ìa?]-¿mi• Ìal-pi

par. 18 a-ak dišda-ri-ia-ma-u-iš dišeššana ¿na-an-ri me-ni• [diš]¿u2 ašbapi-

li• pa-ri-ia ¿šu-tur ašba-pi • -[li] ¿in-ni li • -i[p]-¿pu • -gi-ud-da

ašÌal-meš ašza-iz-za-an Ìi-¿še ašu2-ip-ra • -[d]u-¿iš da-ma da-ak•

Ìa-¿mi dišnu-ti-ut • -[be-ul] ¿Ìu-pir2-ri ak-ka4• na-an-ri dišu2

dišnab-ku-tur-ru-¿sir dištaš-šu-ip2 i-da-ka4 ir • -ru taš ši-¿in-nu-ik

 

ša2-par2-rak2-um • -[me Ì]u-ut-ti-man-ra me-ni ša2-par2-rak2-

um-me Ìu-ud-da-¿Ìu-ud du-ra-maš-da pi • -ik-ti dišu2 da-¿iš

za-u-mi-in du-ra • -[maš]-da-na dištaš-šu-ip2 ap-pa dišnu-ti-ut-be-ul

Ìu-¿pir2-ri-na Ìa-mi Ìal-pi-ia 2 dna • -an diti-meš ¿dÌa-na-maak-

kaš-na pi-ir • -[ka4] ¿Ìi• zi2-la ša2-par2-rak2-um-me Ìu-udda-

Ìu-ut dištaš-šu-¿ip2 ap-pa dišnu-ti-ut-be-ul-na dišu2 Ìal • -pi

ir-še-ik-¿ki a-ak ap • -[pa aš]¿a-meš-ma pu-ud • -da-na aša-meš

Ìi-ma ša2-sa-ak

par. 19 a-¿ak dišda-ri-ia-u-iš dišeššana na-an • -ri me-ni ¿dišnu-ti-ut-be-ul

Ìu-pir2-ri• [diš]¿te-ul • -nu-ip Ìa-ri-ki-ip i-da-ka4 pu-ut-¿tuk-ka4

sa-ak ašba-pi-li li-ip-ka4 me • -ni dišu2 aš¿ba-pi-li mi-du-gi-ud-da•

[za]-¿u-mi • -in du-ra-maš-da-na ku-ud-da ašba-pi-¿li mar-ri-ia

ku-ud-da dišnu-ti-ut • -be-ul Ìu-¿pir2-ri ir mar-ri me-ni dišnu-ti • -

ut-be-ul Ìu-pir2-ri dišu2 ašba-pi-li ir Ìal-¿pi•

par. 204 ¿a-ak•

 

I (am) Darius, the great king, king of kings, king in Persia, king of nations; Hystaspes, his son, Arsames, his grandson, an Achaemenid.

 

And Darius the king says: As for me, my father (was) Hystaspes, and as for Hystaspes, his father  (was) Arsames, and as for Arsames, his father (was) Ariaramnes, and as for Ariaramnes, his father (was) Teispes, and as for Teispes, his father (was) Achaemenes.

 

And Darius the king says: For that reason, we call (our) family Achaemenids. From long ago, (we) have  been noble, and fr om long ago our family has been kings.

 

And Darius the king says: 8 kings in my family formerly held the kingship. I held the 9th kingship.

 

One after the other, we were kings.

 

And Darius the king says: (By) the intercession of Ahuramazda, I exercised kingship. Ahuramazda bestowed kingship upon me.

 

And Darius the king says: Th ese (are) the nations who called (themselves) mine (and, by) the intercession of Ahuramazda, I placed kingship over them: Th e Persians, and the Elamites, and the Babylonians, and the Assyrians, and the Arabians, and the Egyptians, and the Sea-People, and the Sardians, and the Ionians, and the Medes, and the Armenians, and the Cappadocians, and the Parthians, and the Drangians, and the Areians, and the Chorasmians, and Bactrians, and the Sogdians and Parauparisana(?), and the Scythians and Sattagydia and Arachosia and Maka, a grand(?) total (of) 23 nations.

 

And Darius the king says: Th ese nations who call

(themselves) mine, (by) the intercession of Ahuramazda,

performed service unto me, brought me

tribute, (and) whatever I commanded them, night

and day, they accomplished.

 

And Darius the king says: Th roughout these nations,

the man who(?) was(?) …, him (I) upheld; whoever

injured, him greatly (I) investigated. (By) the

intercession of Ahuramazda, my law was upheld

throughout these nations; whatever I commanded,

that they accomplished.

 

And Darius the king says: Ahuramazda gave me

this kingship and Ahuramazda sent me aid, until

(I) strengthened this kingship, and (by) the intercession

of Ahuramazda, I held kingship.

 

And Darius the king says: Th is is what I did (by)

the intercession of Ahuramazda, aft er (I) received

the kingship. Cambyses by name, Cyrus, his son, of

our family, formerly(?) (and) here, he held kingship.

 

Th at Cambyses, his brother, Smerdis by name,

with (the same) mother (and) father, that Cambyses

killed Smerdis. When Cambyses killed Smerdis, the

people didn’t know that Smerdis was dead. Th en

Cambyses went to Egypt. Th en the people caused destruction;

furthermore, the lies grew throughout the

nations, both in Persia and in Media, and throughout

other nations. And then, a man, a Magus,

Gaumata by name, he, fr om Našrma, a mountain,

Harakkatarrišby name, fr om there 14 days of the

month Mikannašhad passed, thus (he) rose up. He

lied to the people: “I am Smerdis, Cyrus’ son, Cambyses’

brother.” Th en all the people rebelled against

Cambyses and went (over) to him, both the Persians

and the Medes, and the other nations and(?) he held

kingship. 9 days of the month of Karmabatašhad

passed, thus (the kingship) was seized(?) fr om Cambyses.

 

And then Cambyses died of natural causes.

 

And Darius the king says: Th is kingship that

Gaumata the Magus took away fr om Cambyses,

this kingship for a long time belonged to our family.

 

Accordingly, Gaumata the Magus took it away fr om

Cambyses, both the Persians and the Medes and

the other nations, he took them away fr om him and

made (them) his possessions. He held kingship.

 

And Darius the king says: Th ere was no man,

no-one(?), not a Persian or a Mede or (anyone else)

fr om our family, to retrieve kingship fr om Gaumata

the Magus. Th e people greatly feared him. (He)

slaughtered the people, (those) who formerly knew

Smerdis. For that reason (he) slaughtered the people:

lest (they) know me that I am not Smerdis, Cyrus,

his son and no-one (with) anything related to

Gaumata the Magus came forth, until I came. Aft er

that I prayed to Ahuramazda. Ahuramazda sent me

aid. (By) the intercession of Ahuramazda, 10 days of

the month of Bakeyatiš had passed, thus with a few

men I killed Gaumata the Magus and his accompanying

men, his foremost followers, in a fortress,

Šikkayamatiš by name, (in) Nušaya by name, a

district in Media, there I killed him and I took away

his kingship. (By) the intercession of Ahuramazda, I

held kingship. Ahuramazda gave me kingship.

 

And Darius the king says: Th e kingship that had

been taken away fr om our family, that I brought

back and I set it in its place as it was formerly.

 

Accordingly, and(?) I made the temple(s) of the

gods that Gaumata the Magus had destroyed, and I

restored to the people, to them, pasture lands(?) and

herds and workers and all(?) houses, that Gaumata

the Magus had taken away fr om them, and I placed

the people in their (rightful) place, both the Persians

and the Medes and the other nations, and(?) accordingly

as it was formerly. I, what had been taken

away, that I brought back. (By) the intercession of

Ahuramazda, this I did. I exerted eff ort until (I)

restored our house as it was formerly and I exerted

eff ort, (by) the intercession of Ahuramazda, such

that Gaumata the Magus hadn’t taken away our

house.

 

Th is is what was accomplished by me as formerly (I)

held kingship.

 

nezzar, son of Nabonidus. Th en all the Babylonian

people went (over) to that Nidintu-Bēl. Th en the

Babylonians rebelled. He held kingship of the Babylonians.

 

And Darius the king says: Th en I sent a messenger

to Elam that Hašina be seized, and in shackles (he)

was brought back to me. Th en I killed him.

 

And Darius the king says: Th en I went to Babylon,

to that Nidintu-Bēl, who said: I (am) Nebuchadnezzar.

 

Th e troops of that Nidintu-Bēl, at the river

Tigris by name, there, were deployed(?) and seized

the bank(?) of the Tigris and that river was navigable.

 

Th en I supplied the troops with leather-skins;

(another) remaining group (I) placed on camels,

( for another) remaining group, horses were assigned.

 

Ahuramazda sent me aid. (By) the intercession of

Ahuramazda, (we) went across the Tigris there;

(I) killed the troops of that Nidintu-Bēl. 26 days of

the month Hašiyatiyaš had passed, thus (we) made

battle. (I) killed many of his(?) troops there.

 

And Darius the king says: Th en I went to Babylon.

 

Before I arrived in Babylon, a town, Zazzan

by name, situated on the Euphrates, there that

Nidintu-Bēl, who said: I (am) Nebuchadnezzar,

attacked me together with troops in battle. Th en (we)

 

made battle. Ahuramazda sent me aid. (By) intercession

of Ahuramazda, (I) killed the troops of that

Nidintu-Bēl there. 2 days of the month Hanamakaš

had passed, thus we made battle. I slaughtered many

of the troops of Nidintu-Bēl, and (others) who were

fl eeing to the river were carried away by this river.

 

And Darius the king says: Th en that Nidintu-Bēl

together with several horsemen fl ed and went to

Babylon. Th en I went forth to Babylon and (by) the

intercession of Ahuramazda, (I) seized Babylon and

that Nidintu-Bēl. Th en I killed that Nidintu-Bēl in

Babylon.

 

and