us " ▁-- ▁is ▁due ▁to ▁either ▁a ▁test ament ary ▁ad option , ▁or ▁comes ▁from ▁his ▁mother ' s ▁family . ▁ ▁The ▁first ▁time ▁he ▁was ▁cons ul ▁was ▁as ▁su ffect ▁for ▁the ▁n und in ium ▁of ▁ 4 5 ▁as ▁the ▁colle ague ▁of ▁A ulus ▁Anton inus ▁R uf us . ▁This ▁was ▁followed ▁a ▁little ▁more ▁than ▁ten ▁years ▁later ▁as ▁Pro cons ul ▁of ▁Africa ▁from ▁ 5 6 ▁to ▁ 5 8 . ▁After ▁returning ▁to ▁Rome ▁Sil van us ▁was ▁charged ▁for ▁actions ▁related ▁to ▁his ▁govern ance ▁but ▁was ▁acqu itted ▁by ▁the ▁Emperor . ▁▁ ▁During ▁the ▁Year ▁of ▁Four ▁Em per ors ▁Sil van us ▁was ▁appointed ▁governor ▁of ▁Dal mat ia ▁by ▁Gal ba . ▁T ac it us ▁describes ▁him ▁as ▁" rich ▁and ▁advanced ▁in ▁years ", ▁which ▁was ▁likely ▁what ▁Gal ba ▁wanted : ▁a ▁compla cent ▁non - entity ▁over see ing ▁an ▁important ▁province . ▁However , ▁he ▁proved ▁p li able ▁by ▁the ▁leg ion ary ▁leg ate ▁Lu cius ▁An nius ▁Bass us , ▁who ▁encourag ed ▁him ▁to ▁support ▁V esp as ian ▁at ▁the ▁critical ▁moment . ▁In ▁reward ▁for ▁his ▁loyal ty , ▁F lav ian us ▁was ▁appointed ▁to ▁a ▁second ▁cons ul ship ▁for ▁the ▁n und in ium ▁of ▁either ▁March - A pril ▁or ▁May - J une ▁ 7 6 ▁as ▁the ▁colle ague ▁of ▁Lu cius ▁T amp ius ▁F lav ian