Born c. 1015–20; died after 1078. Byzantine writer. He came from an Armenian family that had settled in Byzantium.
Kekaumenos was the author of the Advice and Stories, an important source for 11th-century history (the sole manuscript is preserved in the State Historical Museum in Moscow). His works initiated a new genre of Byzantine secular literature, one that united edifying stories with sermons on life. The clear expression of the atmosphere of fear that permeated the life of the Byzantine aristocracy imparts a tragic tone to his works.
Lemerle, P. Prolégomènes a une édition critique et commentée des “Conseils et Récits” de Kékauménos. Brussels, 1960.