He is first attested as serving as Legatus Augusti pro praetore at Germania Inferior, and supported Septimius Severus during the civil war that followed the murder of Pertinax.
Severus sent him to Britain immediately to recover the province from the rebellions that had swept it following Clodius Albinus' removal of most of the garrison to press his claim for the throne the previous year.
Lupus slowly restored the forts in the Pennines to Roman control although Hadrian's Wall was not rebuilt until c. 205.
His governorship was assisted by the arrival of Sextus Varius Marcellus as provincial procurator and in who can be seen the germ of the later division of Britain into two provinces.
He may have been related to Quintus Virius Egnatius Sulpicius Priscus, who appears to have been a suffect consul either during the reign of Septimius Severus or Caracalla[3]