retrieved from www.livius.org on May 17, 2009

Column 1, lines 35-43

[ 05 ] Right column was retrieved from Peterson's:
CORPUS of OLD PERSIAN TEXTS
on March 5, 2009
Image of lines 36-43       Image of lines 36 - 43
  1. â \ aniyâuvâ \ dahyušuvâ \  [11]  thâtiy \ Dârayavauš \ xšâyathiya \ pa
  2. sâva \ I martiya \ maguš \ âha \ Gaumâta \ nâma \ hauv \ udapatatâ \ hacâ \ Paiši
  3. yâuvâdâyâ \ Arakadriš \ nâma \ kaufa \ hacâ \ avadaša \ Viyaxnahya \ mâh
  4. yâ \ XIV \ raucabiš \ thakatâ \ âha \ yadiy \ udapatatâ \ hauv \ kârahyâ \ avathâ
  5. \ adurujiya \ adam \ Bardiya \ amiy \ hya \ Kûrauš \ puça \ Kabûjiyahyâ \ br
  6. âtâ \ pasâva \ kâra \ haruva \ hamiçiya \ abava \ hacâ \ Kabûjiyâ \ abiy \ avam \
  7. ašiyava \ utâ \ Pârsa \ utâ \ Mâda \ utâ \ aniyâ \ dahyâva \ xšaçam \ hauv
  8. \ agarbâyatâ \ Garmapadahya \ mâhyâ \ IX \ raucabiš \ thakatâ \ âha \ avathâ \ xša
  9. çam \ agarbâyatâ \ pasâva \ Kabûjiya \ uvâmaršiyuš \ amariyatâ \  [12]  thâtiy

[11]  King Darius says:  Afterwards, there was a certain man, a Magian, Gaumâta by name, who raised a rebellion in Paishiyâuvâdâ, near a mountain called Arakadriš.  On the fourteenth day of the month Viyaxana  [11 March 522 BCE]  did he rebel.  He lied to the people, saying:  "I am Bardiya [Smerdis],* the son of Cyrus, the brother of Cambyses."  Then were all the people in revolt, and from Cambyses they went over unto him, both Persia and Media, and the other provinces.  He seized the kingdom;  on the ninth day of the month Garmapada  [1 July 522 BCE]  he seized the kingdom.  Afterwards, Cambyses died of natural causes.

11. (1.35-43.)  Darius the King says:  Afterwards, there was one man, a Magian, named Gaumata;  he rose up from Paishiyauvada.  A mountain named Arakadrish – from there 14 days of the month Viyakhna were past when he rose up.  He lied to the people thus:  "I am Bardiya [Smerdis],* the son of Cyrus, brother of Cambyses."  After that, all the people became rebellious from Cambyses, (and) went over to him, both Persia and Media and the other provinces.  He seized the kingdom;  of the month Garmapada 9 days were past, then he seized the kingdom.  After that, Cambyses died by his own hand.

Translation from:
Jona Lendering's Web Page
Joseph H. Peterson's
Web Page



 It is not unlikely that he was murdered, and likely by Darius and his cohorts.  Darius and his cohorts probably murdered Bardiya also.  "Then I, with a few men, slew that Gaumata, the Magian, and those who were his foremost followers."  Likely, a coup d'état.  The few men – Darius's cohorts.