 Prior to acceding to the consulate, Gentianus held the usual posts of military tribune, quaestor, plebeian tribune, praetor, then governor of an imperial province; however, the portions of the inscription which identifies which legion he was tribune of and the name of the province he governed are both missing.However the inscription from Sarmizegetusa attests Gentianus was admitted to the College of Pontiffs.He also supervised the census of the public province of Macedonia.