History thumb|200px|Principalities of Kievan Rus' (1054-1132). The city served as a bustling commercial center, as it controlled the Volga-Don portage, which was used by the Rus to cross from the Black Sea to the Volga and thence to the Caspian and Baltic.Thunberg, Carl L. (2011). Särkland och dess källmaterial. Göteborgs universitet. CLTS. pp. 20-22. . The route was known as the "Khazarian Way". A garrison fortified at Sarkel included Oghuz and Pecheneg mercenaries.
history thumb|200px|principalities of kievan rus' (1054-1132) the city served as a bustling commercial center as it controlled the volga-don portage which was used by the rus to cross from the black sea to the volga and thence to the caspian and balticthunberg carl l (2011) särkland och dess källmaterial göteborgs universitet clts pp 20-22  the route was known as the "khazarian way" a garrison fortified at sarkel included oghuz and pecheneg mercenaries