Then in around AD 260, Rufinianus Bassus was chosen as consul suffectus, and by this time he had survived the many imperial crises which had plagued Rome throughout the early 250s.
[2] Rufinianus Bassus’ proconsular career began with his appointment as Curator Albei Tiberis et cluacarum sacrae urbis (the official responsible for maintaining Rome's sewers), a position which both his father and grandfather had held before him.
Next, probably at some point during the same period, Probus appointed him a judge, acting on behalf of the emperor in hearing cases concerning the money owed to the imperial treasury, as well as financial cases between private individuals, firstly in Rome (c. AD 276–281), and later in Africa (c. AD 281–282) - judex sacrarum cognitionum vice caesaris sine appellationem cognoscendi inter fiscum et privatus, item inter privatos Roma et in provincia Africa.
However, since virtually all of the consules ordinarii between AD 283 and 285 were held by the emperors themselves, this left no room for any non-imperial candidates, which may account for this unusual situation.
Then probably in the middle of AD 285, Rufinianus Bassus was appointed Praefectus urbi of Rome, possibly replacing another Urban Prefect partway through his term.