Behistun Inscription

The Behistun Inscription, one of the UNESCO World Heritage sites, is the largest rock inscription in the world and the earliest known Iranian text from the Achaemenid period. This inscription is located in the Behistun area, 30 kilometers from the city of Kermanshah, on the slopes of Mount Behistun. The Behistun Inscription is one of the most significant and famous historical documents in the world and the principal historical text from the Achaemenid era.

History of the Behistun Inscription

Following the assassination of Bardiya and Darius the Great’s ascension to the throne, 19 major and minor revolts erupted throughout the Achaemenid Empire. After quelling these revolts, Darius the Great decided to record how he came to power and his first year of reign for the people of the empire and posterity. He commissioned this monumental inscription and important declaration at Behistun, along an ancient route frequented by caravans and soldiers traveling from Babylon and Baghdad to the Zagros Mountains and Hamadan. This location was renowned for its long-standing significance as the “land of the gods” (Bagastana).

Features of the Behistun Inscription Relief

The relief, which depicts Darius and his captured enemies, is carved on a vertical rock face measuring 3 meters in height and 5.5 meters in width. In this depiction, Darius is seen wearing Persian attire and an Assyrian-style beard, with a crenellated crown on his head. He is positioned to the left of the Behistun tableau.