The battle was preceded by the complete destruction of the town of Artze, a vibrant commercial center in the Byzantine-administered theme of Iberia (near the modern-day Erzerum, Turkey), by the Seljuq forces. A combined Byzantine-Georgian army of 50,000, under the command of Aaron, Katakalon Kekaumenos and Liparit, met the Seljuqs head-on at Kapetrou (modern-day Pasinler, Erzurum).