Abstract
As is known well, the theme of Bistun inscription is the justification of the kingship Darius I the Great obtained, but the structure upon which his narration is based seems, in spite of the importance, to have never been discussed sufficiently. It is, I consider, shown as the following chain of ‘motifemes’;
‹Affirmative Situation I›: ‹Occurrence of Negative S.›: ‹Negative S.›: ‹Previous Anouncement›: ‹Battle›: ‹Affirmative S. II›.
The structure is identified with that of epical tales found out frequently in the Shahnama of Firdausi, the theme of which is the change of kingships from a previous king to a new one (ex. Faridun, Ardasir, Manucihr and so on). This also means that the tale structure owened in common with some epical tales limits and constructs the narration of Bistun inscription. This conclusion may throw some light on the problem if Darius is a usurper or not.
