John Skylitzes
Katakalon Kekaumenos was born in Koloneia, and although apparently a member of the noble Katakalon family, according to John Skylitzes he was not of aristocratic origin. He first distinguished himself in the Sicilian campaign of George Maniakes. There, Kekaumenos, with the rank of "protospatharios", commanded a contingent from the Armeniac Theme and led the successful defence of Messina against an Arab attack in 1040.