Cities are great vectors for the transmission of diseases. It had to be the most heavily urbanised settings in which diseases could take root.
The first recorded epidemic ever was that of Malaria. The first mentions of a disease that had symptoms similar to Malaria come from Egypt in 1550 B.C. It was thereafter reported in Greece in 413 B.C.
Although the disease emerged in Africa, due to the trade across the Mediterranean, it crossed over to Rome and Greece. It was responsible for the decline of entire city-state populations. One of the proposed theories of the decline of the Roman Empire is epidemic. In Rome, it came to be known as Roman Fever.
In the 16th century, the Italians thought that the disease was caused by poisonous air arising from the marshes. Even in England, it was called the Marsh Fever.
Since it was believed the poisonous air from the marshes was causing the fever, the Italians called the disease “mal”, meaning bad and “aria”, meaning air. Malaria literally meant bad air. It was not until the 19th century that the true cause was understood, but the name stuck and has remained since.