Although magistrates were appointed solely by election, lot nonetheless
played a part in popular assemblies. So what could be the
nature and meaning of lot in a largely oligarchic political system
where wealth gave power? Lot was used to determine who should
vote first in centuriate assemblies and which vote should be counted
first in tribal assemblies.11 In the former, the century that would
vote first was drawn by lot. That century was known as the
"prerogative century." It is on the significance and effects of
drawing the prerogative century by lot that history provides the
most information.