Hygiene Roman sewage and aqueduct systems The Roman Empire has garnered itself a mostly positive reputation for the complicated sewer systems that ran underneath many of its cities. Roman engineering brought water to the city from the Alban Hills using an aqueduct system implemented in 312 BC Although primitive forms of sewage systems have existed in<unk>  since pre-imperial times, these were mostly primitive drains that led to the nearby rivers and streams. Another source of water that proved to be dangerous was the Tiber River, which the Roman Army drank from, contributing to their vulnerability to many<unk> s. As the skills of engineers continued to grow, the complexity of the sewers did as well. For example, the Cloaca Maxima was one of the first complex and expansive sewer systems that ran under<unk> . The sewer systems had an extremely complex design and for the most part succeeded in providing Romans with adequate amounts of relatively clean water for consumption and bathing. While the sewage systems of<unk> <unk>  may have been engineering marvels and set precedents, there were still major flaws in Roman sewer systems. The population of<unk>  and other cities in the empire steadily grew, increasing the strain on the waste systems. However, due to the public health laws concerning street disposal of public waste, most of the large outbreaks and public health crises cannot be directly attributed to the sewer systems of<unk> . There were many other more serious factors that added to the catastrophe of the major public health crises of<unk> <unk> . Since most sewer systems were privately owned, they were privately maintained, and in turn neglected. Instead, citizens would turn to their latrines; if they lived on anything but the ground floor they would even throw their excrement onto the street. This led to sewage being exposed to flies, dogs, and bacteria, all of which helped spread<unk>  among Romans. Although it is unclear what specific<unk> s were caused by the toilets in<unk> <unk>  due to the lack of clarification in ancient texts during that time period, it is likely that a multitude of intestinal<unk> s could have been caused through the lack of sanitation. Some examples of possible<unk> s includes dysentery, typhoid fever, and other types of diarrheas . Another infamous hazard to health was the lead piping used to transport water throughout the city. Modern science has proven the devastating effects of lead, especially in regard to fertility. Some experts believe this may have been a leading factor in the population decline in the latter<unk>  period. In fact, a study by Dr. Arthur Aufderheide of the University of Minnesota revealed that "Romans had 10 more times lead in their bones than modern Americans." Alcohol consumption Studies indicate that lead was very prominent in Roman beverages. This is mostly due to the lead-based storage containers that were popular during the time. Some scholars speculate that the levels of alcohol consumed on a daily basis were more to blame for the health ailments of the aristocrats of<unk> , with the average consumption rate being approximately 3 bottles of wine a day. It is important to note that the practice of diluting wine was common as the source mentions, and that undiluted wine was considered barbaric. In fact, the Romans would typically mix one part wine to two parts of water. It was also common practice to hinder the sweetness of wine through the use of sea water or to warm the wine. Litter pollution The city of<unk>  also faced a major problem with street garbage and the build up of trash. Poets and satirists often made the Roman litter problem the subject of jokes and writings, with descriptions of trash being everywhere, including in Roman households and on the floor. The lack of sanitation on the streets and households of<unk>  contributed to<unk>  and sickness. Trash items ranged from discarded household items to actual human waste, meaning contamination chances were very high. The Romans realized this was becoming a problem, and a series of laws and other measures were taken to limit garbage build up in the streets. Most of these measures were implemented in order to prevent pedestrian casualties from waste falling on them, however these measure also increased the public health by eliminating the waste from the immediate city. There is evidence to suggest that they allowed waste carriages to go throughout the city and collect waste during hours in which other modes of transportation were banned. This strategy did not completely solve the problem, as most of the waste was just moved outside the city limits meaning the risk for contamination and odor is still present. Bathing Public and private bath houses were common in<unk>  during the<unk>  period of<unk> . Commonly referred to as Thermae, these bath houses varied widely, but most had similar bathing processes. Occupants would exercise, use a variety of saunas and cooling rooms, and sometimes swim in a pool. Even an<unk> -version sauna was created for cleansing the body of toxins. The hours typically started at lunchtime and closed at dusk and was open to everyone, with only a small fee required to enter. Bath houses were typically located near the forum of Roman towns. Due to the high poverty rate in<unk> , it was uncommon for the middle class citizens to own a private bath, according to journalist Jay Stuller. The heated bath water was not always chemically cleansed or filtered with chemicals such as chlorine, causing bacteria to thrive and spread. When Christianity came to<unk> , it viewed the public nudity of the bathing system as debauchery and therefore it became frowned upon. While the bathing system may not have been pristine, abstaining from cleanliness altogether brought upon many more potentially fatal<unk> s, especially in infants. Diet From analyzing public latrines in the ash-preserved city of Hercaleum, researchers were able to determine the diet to be largely derived from a variety of fish species. The diet of the town seemed to be supplemented with spices, some originating from India. It seems that the occupants of Hercaleum had a well rounded diet and although the diet of Roman citizens may have changed depending on the region, it seems that food was accessible from a variety of places that the Romans traded with. In contrast to today's diet, Romans ate little meat. According to scholar Linda Gigante, they consumed large amounts of grain, fruits, and some vegetables. The poor were given monthly supplies of grain and hardly had money to pay for anything else. Due to this, many Romans suffered from malnutrition and multiple vitamin deficiencies. Even those who had money for food did not always have the best choices. There was no food and drug regulatory agency in ancient times, so low food standards brought contamination and parasites. Environment Population density<unk> 's population was unprecedentedly large in the ancient world, reaching 1 million during the high point of the Empire. This was much larger than the other major cultures that co-existed and predated the Romans. Paired with the poor living conditions that many Romans experienced, the city was a perfect breeding grounds for<unk> . In the poor boroughs of<unk> , tight living conditions and filth increased the spread of<unk> . The Antonine and Cyprian plagues were transmitted through touch, which only added to the severity of the plagues, especially in areas of poverty.<unk>  had an extremely high population, and remnants of buildings suggest the average living space was very small. Many people crammed into small spaces led to very high rates of infection for transmittable<unk> s. The Antonine and Cyprian plagues were transmitted through touch, dense population rate would contribute highly to their spread. Deforestation Deforestation of<unk> 's cities, particularly near the Tiber River, led to higher<unk>  rates. The causality is as follows: deforestation lead to a rising water table, which increased marshes. This increased the larva in<unk> , and in turn increased<unk>  borne from blood-sucking bugs. Mosquitoes and other vectors were carriers of various<unk> s, such as malaria and the Ross River virus. Air pollution The air in<unk>  was undoubtedly polluted, with many sources remarking on the odours that could be found walking around the city. There were multiple sources of<unk> 's air pollution, open fires and human waste just being some of it. This degree of waste also attracted rodents and pests of all natures, only adding to the number of concerns for public health. It wasn't until the rule of Emperor Domitian that air pollution was attempted to be taken care of within the city. Laws were passed with the threat of fines and regulations that helped to attempt and clean the air.<unk> s such as cholera were rampant and can be directly attributed to the waste pollution as well as air pollution.
Disease in Imperial Rome
María del Tránsito Sorroza
Late talker
Video game addiction
Raw foodism
Onsan illness
Forme fruste
Pornography addiction