Road station
Sarto
Vakarel
Sarto, near today's Vakarel east of Sofia, is a slip for Sparto: the Ravenna list writes Sparthon, the Bordeaux pilgrim's itinerary the change of horses Sparata. The name is probably Thracian, from a root meaning to turn or wind. A small scuff in the parchment has almost rubbed out the lower part of the r and the a, though both can still be read. The station lay on the great road from Naissus by Serdica and Philippopolis to Constantinople; the map sets it in Macedonia, though it belonged to Upper Moesia. Two milestones of the 3rd century have been found.