[2] Based on the fact his father's praenomen was Marcus, Ronald Syme suggested that he was born an Eprius M.f.
[4] According to an inscription recovered at Paphos,[5] in the earlier part of his career he commanded a legion, was legate of Lycia et Pamphylia (in the period 53–56) and proconsul of Cyprus.
In December 69, when Vespasian had just gained victory in the civil war of that year, Helvidius, as praetor-elect, attacked Eprius's former conduct in the Senate; Eprius defended himself vigorously as one of those loyal servants "who had striven to serve the State under bad Emperors".
[2] In 70–73 he held the Proconsulate of Asia, anomalously extended to three years,[9] then returned to Rome for his second suffect consulship in 74 as the colleague of Quintus Petillius Cerialis.
In 79 he was apparently involved in plotting with the former Vitellian general Aulus Caecina Alienus against the Flavian dynasty.