Final answer:
Herculaneum, as part of the Roman Empire, enjoyed the benefits of advanced sanitary infrastructure, including aqueducts and sewer systems, which improved sanitary conditions and reduced disease incidence.
Step-by-step explanation:
Herculaneum, like its more famous neighbor Pompeii, was an ancient Roman city that experienced a catastrophic end due to the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 CE. However, prior to this event, Herculaneum would have benefited from the advances in sanitary control which were common in Roman cities of the period. These advances included a complex sanitation infrastructure developed based on the miasma hypothesis, which stated that diseases were caused by bad air, or 'mal'aria.'
In Roman cities, the construction of aqueducts brought fresh water into the city, improving access to potable water and sanitary conditions. Furthermore, the introduction of sewer systems, which flushed waste away using water from aqueducts, helped reduce the spread of waterborne diseases. Public amenities, such as bathhouses and gymnasiums, proliferated within the empire, promoting a healthy lifestyle that included cleanliness and exercise.
Although Herculaneum was destroyed by the eruption, the advanced Roman infrastructure in place prior would have provided sanitary control, with the availability of fresh water and sewer systems contributing to the overall health and cleanliness of its inhabitants, possibly reducing the incidence of diseases like cholera and typhoid fever among the population.