A member of the third century gens Anicia and a novus homo, Faustus was appointed the Legatus Augusti pro praetore (or imperial governor) of the province of Numidia by the emperor Septimius Severus, a position he held from AD 197 – 201.
During this time he built several defensive forts of the Limes Tripolitanus, in southern Numidia and in Tripolitania,[2] in order to protect the province from the raids of nomadic tribes.
He then fell out of favour with Septimius Severus, and this continued through Caracalla’s reign, possibly due to his close working relationship with Gaius Fulvius Plautianus, who was executed for plotting to overthrow the Severan Dynasty.
[4] It wasn't until the reign of Macrinus that he returned to favour, with his appointment as the proconsular governor of Asia, succeeding Gaius Julius Asper, a post which he held for two consecutive years, from AD 217 to 219.
[6] Anicius Faustus is speculated to have married either a Vesia Rustica or a Sergia Paulla, daughter of Lucius Sergius Paullus, consul ordinary 168.