A previously unknown inscription that had been covered by dirt and lichen for well over 2000 years was recently discovered at Naqsh-e Rustam in Iran. Naqsh-e Rustam is a necropolis near the ancient Persian capital of Persepolis that houses the tombs of Darius I (the Great), Xerxes I, Artaxerxes I, and Darius II. The newly uncovered inscription is trilingual, written in the Persian, Elamite, and Babylonian languages. It was discovered on the hill around the tomb of King Darius, and seems to reference a high-ranking Achaemenid official who was unknown to history. The inscription is of great interest to linguists, as it adds new verbs to all three ancient languages. In the Bible, King Darius is the Persian ruler who, after searching the archives of King Cyrus, authorized the reconstruction of the temple in Jerusalem to proceed, providing the supplies and funds needed (Ezra 4:24-6:15).
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