Why was public health so important in Ancient Rome?

Jed Mutone: Public health was developed by the Romans as they believed that cleanliness would lead to good health. The Romans made links between causes of disease and methods of prevention. as a consequence they developed a large system of Public Health works around their empire.***empirical observations led the Romans to believe that ill health could be associated with, amongst other things, bad air, bad water, swamps, sewage, debris and lack of personal cleanliness.***the Romans to realise that death rates were higher in and around marshes and swamps.***the Romans believed that Gods held the key to longevity of life they initially built Temples to the gods near large swamps to pacify them and reduce the deaths.***the drainage of swamps and they also ensured that the army and important people lived away from these areas.Factors that influenced the public health were: ***The Romans, being technologically adequate, resolved to provide clean water through aqueducts, to re! move the bulk of sewage through the building of sewers ***develop a system of public toilets throughout their towns and city's.A network of sewers was built to take sewerage and waste out of the city to the river Tiber. There were also public lavatories. ***Personal hygiene was encouraged through the building of large public baths...Show more