 By the late 3rd century BC, the legal procedure for dedicating a temple apparently required introduction in the Roman Senate, reference of the petition to the College of Pontiffs, and then proposal to the Popular Assembly for final approval.By the mid-2nd century, the Lex Papiria probably was used as precedent to decide what approval was necessary to dedicate a statue.What is unclear is whether the Lex Papiria governed dedications generally or only by imperatores and other magistrates of at least praetorian rank.