[1] Quartinus began his career in the emperor's service as an equestrian tribune with Legio III Cyrenaica, which was stationed at Bostra in Syria.
He pleased the emperor Trajan, who adlected him in splendissimum ordinem, which, Ronald Syme explains, means that he was "given the latus clavus and he entered the Senate as quaestor urbanus".
[2] Syme also offers a possible reason for this honor: as tribune in III Cyrenaica, Quartinus participated in the Roman occupation of Arabia Petraea in the years 105/106.
[4] During a period of strife with Parthia in 123, Quartinus was commander of a force composed of the legions II Traiana and III Cyrenaica, and their auxiliaries.
He was also assigned another office in the emperor's service, governor of Germania Superior, where a military diploma attests his presence in the province on 16 October 134.