The Jewish garrison of Elephantine · a new plain-English translation from the Aramaic
heading| (Col. i. Sachau, plate 52)
1| [they killed among them] 827 (partly restored) and took alive […] hundred and 6. [A second time the rebels gathere]d; they went
2| [against Dadarshi] to do battle. [Th]en they fought the battle [a]t a fortress named Tigra in Urartu. Ahuramazda help[ed me; by the protection of
3| Ahuramazda my army] killed the rebels. On Iyyar the 18th they fought a battle; they killed among them 5,04[6].
4| [… time, the rebels ga]thered; they went agains[t] Dadarshi to do battle. Then they fought a battle at Hiyu [by name,
5| a fortress in Urartu. Ahura]mazda helped me; by the protection of Ahu[ramazda] my army [k]illed the reb[e]ls. On the 9th (partly restored) [of Sivan
6| they fought a battle; they killed am]ong them 472 (partly restored) and took aliv[e …] hundred and 2. Then Dadarshi did no[thi]ng; he was wait[ing for me in Urartu.
7| Darius the king says:] One named Vaumisa, {my servant}, a Persian, [to Urartu] I s[ent]. I said: Go; that rebel a[rm]y [which does not
8| obey me, kill them]. Then Vaumisa went to Urartu. On his arrival the reb[el]s gat[h]ered; [they] wen[t against] Va[umisa to do
9| battle. Then they fought the battle]; he killed among them 2,034.
10| [A second time the reb]els gathered; they w[e]nt against Vaumisa to do battle. They [fo]ught the battle [on the 30th] of Iyyar; [they] fo[ught the battle;
11| they killed among them 2,04]5 [and] took alive 1,578 (partly restored). Then Va[umi]sa did [no]thing; he was [wa]iting for me [in Urartu.
12| Darius the king says: Then I from Babyl]on [went ou]t; I went to Me[dia]. On arriving [in] Media, at a place named Kunduru in Med[ia, that Fravar]tish w[ith
13| an army came to do battle; we fought the battle]. Ahura]ma[zda he]lped m[e]; by the pro[tec]tion of Ahuramazda the army of [Fravartish I ki]lled. On [the 25th
14| of Marheshwan (?) we fought the battle; I killed among them …] 5, [and] I took alive 108 thousand and 10[… Then that Fravartish
15| …… Then I sent] the ar[my
heading| (Col. ii. Sachau, plate 54, col. 1)
16| [Darius the king says: Then the land became] mine. This I did in Parthia.
17| [Darius the king says: A land rebelled,] named Margiana; they made a king over them,
18| [one named Frada. Then I sent one named Dadarshi, the gov]ernor [of Bactri]a. I said: Go, [k]ill
19| [the rebel army. Then Dadarshi fought the ba]ttle with the M[argian]s. Ahuramazda helped me;
20| [by the protection of Ahuramazda they killed the rebels], those. On the 2[3rd of Kis]lev they fought a battle;
21| they killed among them 55,243 [and took alive] 6,972 (partly restored).
22| [Darius the king says: A man named Vahyaz]{data}, a Persian, was living in Persia. [He said:
23| 'I am Bardiya, son of Cyrus.' After that the Persian army], as much of it as was in the houses, among those {o}f the fo[r]tre[ss,
24| rebelled against him; they went (over to him); he became the king in Per]sia. Then I: the army that was in Persia, small,
25| [which did not rebel, and the army of Media that was with me], I sent; one named Artavardiya, a Persian,
26| [at their head I sent. Then the army of] Persia and Medi[a] with me we[nt]. Then Arta[vardiya
27| went with the army to a place named Rakha in Persia. Then Vahyazd]ata, [that one,] who sai[d] 'I am B[ar]diya' [ca]{me} [wi]th
28| [an army to do battle; they fought the battle]. Ahuramazda helped me; by the protection of Ah[uramazda
29| my army killed the army of Vahyazdata. On the 12th of Iyyar] they fought the battle; they [k]illed among them 303 ‥
30| [and took alive … Then that Vahyazdata went with] a smal[l] army, horsemen, t[o
31| [a fortress named Pishiyauda. Then with an army he ca]me against Artavardiya to do
32| [battle; they fought the battle; my army killed] the arm[y of Vahyazd]ata in the month of T[ishri (?)
heading| (Plate 56³, parallel copy)
18*| … nam[ed
19*| {ʾ} then {D}[…]
20*| the army of m[ine
21*| 5,220[…]
21a*| [it be]came; this is what I[…]
22*| sa[ys:] Vahyazdata by na[me
23*| [the so]n of C[y]rus. Then [{h}
24*| [aga]inst him; they went; he (was) k[ing
25*| [reb]elled, and the army of Media[…]
26*| […]m I sent, and š[…]
27*| [the ar]my [to] Rakh[a] by name[…]
28*| … {b}[att]le z{q}[…]
heading| (Sachau, p. 203, no. 7)
19†| [the M]arg[ians
20†| 3
21†| [thou]sand
heading| (Col. iii. Sachau, plate 54, col. 2)
33| they fought the battle; they killed among th[em … and took alive …
34| Vahyazdata they seized, and the nobles that were with [him they seized. Darius the king says: Then
35| I set 10 (doubtful) ‥ slain, and the no[bles who were at his side I impaled at a place named Hudizya (?) in Persia.
36| 52. This is what {I} [did] in Persia.
37| Darius the king says: That V[ahyazdata who said 'I am Bardiya' an army to Arachosia
38| sent, and one man at the[ir] head, [against one named Vivana, my servant, a Persian, the governor
39| in Arachosia, saying: Go; [Vivana and the army that obeys Darius the king
40| kill. The army of Vahyazdata [went against Vivana to do battle; they fought the battle.
41| Ahuramazda helped me; [by the protection of Ahuramazda my army killed the rebels; they killed
42| among them 4,570 (partly restored) [‥ and took alive … On the 13th of Tebeth
43| they fought a battle. Ahuramazda h[elped me; by the protection of Ahuramazda my army killed the army of
44| the rebels; they killed among them 3[‥ and took alive … Then
45| that man who was chief [over them went with a small army, horsemen; he came
46| and fl]ed (to) Ar[sha]da, the [for]tress in the pr[ovince of Arachosia. Then Vivana went with an army against him
47| to do battle; he fou]ght a bat[tle; he seized him, and the nobles who were with him he killed. The total of the slain
48| and the living whom my ar]my killed [and seized … Darius the king says: Then the land became mine.
49| This is what in Arach]osia I di[d. Darius the king says: …
heading| (Plate 56⁸, parallel copy; followed by blank)
46*| […]{army}[…]
47*| […]total {s}[…]
48*| […]then the la[nd…]
heading| (Col. iv. Sachau, plate 55, col. 1)
50| [Darius the king says: Yo]u, the king who will be after me, a man who lies
51| …… ]from many lies; beware {ʿ} … who lies
52| …… ]make known how you are acting [and how (?)] your conduct (is)
53| …… y]ou; he will say: {hear} what the fratar will say (?)
54| …… ]d, which he will do {deviously}; that, look, (it is) also before you
55| …… ]your good; {ʾymnyš} you will be, {wrk}lyk over children (?)
56| …… ]ḥrʾ t … the lie {n} … [wh]ich …
57| …… th]is … do not {conceal} …
58| …… ab]undantly, and your days will be long; and i[f you conceal
59| [Darius the king says: These are the me]n who stood with me un[til] I [killed] G[au]m[ata],
60| [that Magian who said 'I am Bardiya'; they] greatly [with me] exerted themselves:
61| [one named Vindafarna, son of Vayaspara], a P{er}[sian; Gaubaruva], son of Mardunya (?),
62| a Persian; …… a Per]sian; m … mnʾ, his son (?)
63| …… ʾ sbl ……
heading| (Plate 56⁸ reverse, parallel copy)
62*| a Pers[ian
63*| l
64| son
heading| (Fragments of a copy or copies, n300ff. Sachau, plate 56¹ obv.)
56.1:1| […] which was ours was taken; that, I[…]
56.1:2| […] their property and their houses […]
56.1:3| […]this I did; I[…]
56.1:4| […]t by the protection o[f] Ahu[ramazda
heading| (Sachau, plate 56² obv.)
56.2:1| […] . did[…]
56.2:2| [they w]{ent} to d[o
56.2:3| […]and alive […]
56.2:4| [the Mar]gians […]
56.2:5| […] in Per[sia
56.2:6| [the ar]my o[f
56.2:7| […]ʾ in[…]
56.2:8| […] who (were) with[…]
heading| (Sachau, plate 56² rev.)
56.2r:1| 3
56.2r:2| I gave
heading| (Sachau, plate 56⁴ obv.)
56.4:1| […]ʾ {wḥ}[…]
56.4:2| [my army killed] the ar[my of
56.4:3| […] hundred and 76[…]
56.4:4| [A{h}]uramazda, the army [of mine
56.4:5| [and took al]ive 300[…]
56.4:6| […]ʿy{b}
heading| (Sachau, plate 56⁴ rev.)
56.4r:1| ‥ {n} l[…]
56.4r:2| Ahuramazda yb
56.4r:3| Ahuramazda y{q}[…]
56.4r:4| Darius[…]
heading| (Sachau, plate 56⁵ obv.)
56.5:1| […]army […]
56.5:2| […]{q}n […]
56.5:3| [by the pro]tection[…]
heading| (Sachau, plate 56⁵ rev.)
56.5r:1| …
56.5r:2| […]šʾ[…]
56.5r:3| […]{yb}r[…]
56.5r:4| […]y[…]
heading| (Plate 56⁶ obv.)
56.6:1| […]b 1[…]
56.6:2| […]kil[l
heading| (Plate 56⁶ rev.)
56.6r:1| ‥
56.6r:2| […]rd[…]
heading| (Plate 56⁷ rev., obv.: see under ll. 19–21)
56.7r:1| […]tt[…]
56.7r:2| […]{h} […]
heading| (Plate 56⁹ rev., obv. illegible)
56.9r:1| […]{g} […]
heading| (Plate 56¹⁰ rev., obv. illegible)
56.10r:1| […]š 1 {y}[…]
heading| (Plate 56¹¹ obv.)
56.11:1| […]{m}y[…]
heading| (Plate 56¹¹ rev.)
56.11r:1| […]{mzd}[…]
heading| (Plate 56¹³ obv.)
56.13:1| [the arm]y of[…]
56.13:2| [the bat]tle[…]
heading| (Plate 56¹³ rev.)
56.13r:1| 2 […]
56.13r:2| […] 3 […]
56.13r:3| […] 3 […]
56.13r:4| […] 3 […]
heading| (Plate 56¹⁴ obv., rev. nothing certain)
56.14:1| […]{ḥy}[…]
56.14:2| […]{mrt}[…]
56.14:3| […] not […]
56.14:4| […] 100 […]
56.14:5| [Ah]ur[amazda
heading| (Plate 56¹⁵ obv., rev. blank)
56.15:1| […]5[…]
heading| (Plate 56¹⁶ obv.)
56.16:1| […]which l[…]
heading| (Plate 56¹⁷ obv.)
56.17:1| […]and aliv[e
heading| (Plate 56¹⁸ obv.)
56.18:1| […]{pr}t[…]
56.18:2| […]Parthia[…]
heading| (Plate 56¹⁹ obv., rev. blank)
56.19:1| […]ʾly[…]
heading| (Sachau, plate 57)
57.1:1| […]the arm[y
57.1:2| [they o]bey me[…]
57.1:3| [in Med]ia, great[…]
57.2:1| […]h[…]
57.2:2| […the]m 3[…]
57.2:3| […]n{d}n[…]
57.3:1| [at] Maru by na[me
57.3:2| [Ahu]ramazda, the ar[my
57.3:3| [and] thousand 6[…]
57.3:4| [my se]rvant[…]
57.3:5| [Dari]us the king[…]
57.3:6| […]against[…]
57.3:7| [Ahura]mazda helped me[…]
57.4:1| [any]thing he did not d[o
57.4:2| [they ga]there[d
57.4:3| […]{man}[…]
57.7:1| [Da]darshi w[ent
57.7:2| […]to do[…]
57.7:3| […]by the protection of Ahuram[azda
57.8:1| …
57.8:2| {the}[n
57.9:1| w{r}
57.11:1| […]301[…]
57.11:2| […]w[…]
57.12:1| […]3[…]
57.13:1| on the Euphrates
57.14:1| […]{m}[…]
57.14:2| [Dada]rshi[…]
57.15:1| [a Pe]rsian[…]
57.15:2| […]ʾ[…]
57.16:1| …
57.16:2| […]r . […]
heading| (Cowley's conjectural combination of pl. 57 nos. 1, 3, 7, n305)
57r:1| (Cowley's combined reconstruction) …… [the army of Persia
57r:2| (Cowley's combined reconstruction) and Media that was with me was small. Then I] an ar[my sent to Media, and one named Vidarna at their head.
57r:3| (Cowley's combined reconstruction) I said: Go; the army of Media that does not o]bey me, [kill them (?). Then Vidarna went to Media; he fought
57r:4| (Cowley's combined reconstruction) a battle at] a place named Maru; [a man who in Med]ia (was) great [did not stand (?). Ahuramazda helped me; by the protection
57r:5| (Cowley's combined reconstruction) of Ahu]ramazda the ar[my of mine killed those rebels. On the 17th of Tebeth they fought the battle;
57r:6| (Cowley's combined reconstruction) they killed …] thousand 6[ hundred … and took alive …… Darius the king says: Dadarshi
57r:7| (Cowley's combined reconstruction) by name, my se]rvant, [an Urartian, I sent to Urartu. I said: The rebel army that does not obey me, kill them (?).
57r:8| (Cowley's combined reconstruction) Dari]us the king [says: Then Da]darshi w[ent to Urartu. On his arrival the rebels gathered;
57r:9| (Cowley's combined reconstruction) they went] against [Dadarshi] to do [battle. Then they fought the battle at a place named Zuz in Urartu.
57r:10| (Cowley's combined reconstruction) Ahura]mazda helped me; by the protection of Ahuram[azda my army killed those rebels.
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