Author

At Pompeii in 2023
My name is Joonas Vanhala. I'm a doctoral researcher at the University of Turku. The name of this blog patinaticum means ice skating and reflects two of my long time passions, the Latin language and figure skating. Some of my other favorite pastimes include board games, knitting and singing in a choir.

I'm interested in epigraphy and the daily life in Roman and Greek antiquity. In my PhD research I study Roman insults and stereotypes in the poems of Martial and Pompeian graffiti. I'm also a member of a research team studying Late Antique and Early Medieval Ostia at the Finnish Institute in Rome.

I studied theology at Åbo Akademi University where I got a bachelor's degree in 2008 and a master's degree in 2015. At the same time I studied Latin, ancient Greek and education at the University of Turku where I earned a BA in 2015 and an MA in 2019. I worked as a part-time Latin teacher in various schools in Turku between 2007 and 2024.

I took a break from my studies and teaching jobs in 2011–2014 and joined Disney On Ice as an ensemble skater. The old posts in my blog are from my tours in Europe and the United States. Unfortunately they are only available in Finnish.

CURRICULUM VITAE (updated 15 May 2025)

Education and degrees
  • Master of Arts (Latin philology), University of Turku, 2019
  • Master of Theology (Dogmatics), Åbo Akademi University, 2015
  • Bachelor of Arts (Latin philology), University of Turku, 2015
  • Bachelor of Theology (New Testament studies), Åbo Akademi University, 2008
Work experience
  • Doctoral researcher, 2020–
    • Personal grant, Jenny & Antti Wihuri Foundatin, 1.11.2025–
    • Salaried doctoral researcher, University of Turku, 1.9.2022–31.10.2025
    • Wihuri Fellow, Finnish Institute in Rome, 1.9.2021–31.8.2022
  • Project researcher at the Finnish Institute in Rome, 2020–
  • Latin teacher, Åbo Akademi University, 2016–2022
  • Latin teacher, Åbo svenska arbetarinstitut (Swedish Adult Education Center of Turku), 2008–2011, 2014–2021, 2022–2024
  • Latin teacher, Katedralskolan i Åbo (high school), 2007–2011 and 2014–2016
  • Professional ice skater, Disney On Ice, 2011–2014
Publications
  • Edited volume: Jokela M. & Vanhala J. (ed.) (2025). Gaius Julius Caesar – Rooman diktaattorin monet kasvot, Gaudeamus. (link)
  • Peer-reviewed chapter: Vanhala J. (2025). "Huhujen ja herjausten Caesar", in Gaius Julius Caesar – Rooman diktaattorin monet kasvot, Maria Jokela & Joonas Vanhala (eds.), Gaudeamus, 71–86.
  • Peer-reviewed chapter: Ulanto M., Jokela M. & Vanhala J. (2025). "Asterix-sarjakuvien Caesar", in Gaius Julius Caesar – Rooman diktaattorin monet kasvot, Maria Jokela & Joonas Vanhala (eds.), Gaudeamus, 277–301.
  • Book review: Vanhala J. (2023). "Viestejä antiikin Pompejista – Ari Saastamoinen: Räävitöntä! Pompejilaisia graffiteja. Gaudeamus 2020. 286 s. ISBN 978-952-345-068-4", Historiallinen aikakauskirja 121:4, 420–421.
  • Peer-reviewed article: Meyer, A., Mullen, A. & Vanhala, J. (2023). "A Scato-sexual Message: The Secundinus Stone with Phallus from Vindolanda", Britannia 54, 305–320. (link)
  • Book review: Vanhala J. (2022) "Stefano Rocchi – Roberta Marchionni: Oltre Pompei: Graffiti e altre iscrizioni oscene dall’Impero Romano d’Occidente. Introduzione, testo, traduzione e commento filologico. Presentazione di Antonio Varone. The Seeds of Triptolemus – Studies on the Ancient Mediterranean World 1. Deinotera  editrice, Roma 2021. ISBN 978-88-89951-29-3. 160 pp.", Arctos 55, 382–384. (link)
  • Article in a trade journal: "Roomalaisia herjauksia ja stereotypioita", in Hiiskuttua: Turun yliopiston humanistisen tiedekunnan verkkolehti, 7.12.2020 (link)
Awards
  • Kanava Award for the best Finnish non-fiction book on a biographical topic for Gaius Julius Caesar – Rooman diktaattorin monet kasvot (Gaudeamus, 2025) (link)
Academic presentations
  • Conference paper "(Un)natural Vices in Ancient Roman Invective" at Human/Nature –  Entanglements in Cultural History, 17th Annual Conference of the International Society for Cultural History, 16.–19.6.2025, University of Lapland, Rovaniemi, Finland (link)
  • Conference paper "Fallospiirroket Pompejin seinillä" at Finnish Conference on Ancient Studies, 23–24 January 2025, University of Turku, Finland (link)
  • Conference paper "Occupational Hazards: Professional Stereotypes in Martial and Pompeian Graffiti" at Arachne IX – Gender, Identity, and Social Structures, 8–10 November 2023, Rome, Italy
  • Poster "From Stereotypes to Insults: Contextualizing Popular Invective in Martial and Pompeian Graffiti" at Utuling Research Day, University of Turku, Finland, 4 May 2023 (link)
  • Conference paper "The Greek "other" in the satirical poems of Martial" at Classical Association Conference, Cambridge, UK, 21–23 April 2023 (link)
  • Conference paper "Roomalaisia herjauksia ja stereotypioita" at Finnish Conference on Ancient Studies, 26–27 January 2023, University of Helsinki, Finland
  • Poster "From Stereotypes to Insults: Contextualizing Popular Invective in Martial and Pompeian Graffiti" at 16th International Congress of Greek and Latin Epigraphy, 29 August – 2nd September 2022, Bordeaux, France (link)
  • Conference paper "Popular Beliefs about Physicians in Ancient Rome" at Cultures of Belief and Unbelief, 14th Annual Conference of the International Society for Cultural History, 2–5 August 2022, Verona, Italy (link)
  • Conference paper "From Stereotypes to Insults: Contextualizing Popular Invective in Martial and Pompeian Graffiti" at the conference Neue Forschungen in den Vesuvstädten, 27–28 May 2022, Basel, Switzerland
  • Conference paper "Invective in Pompeian Graffiti: Themes and Context" at 2019 Symposium Campanum – Reading the City: Inscriptions of the Bay of Naples, 23–27 October 2019, Cuma, Italy
For general audience
  • Guest appearance on YLE's (Finnish Broadcasting Company) radio podcast Elävä historia (Living History) 7.10.2024 (link)
  • Interview "Imanis metula es – Joonas Vanhala tutkii, miten antiikin roomalaiset herjasivat toisiaan seinäkirjoituksissa ja runoissa" in the weekly magazine Suomen kuvalehti, 27 October 2022 (link)
  • Talk "Ars vituperandi – roomalainen herjaamisen taito" (= the Roman art of the insult) at the public library of Turku, 7 October 2022.
  • Interview on the website of the Wihuri foundation, published 7 March 2022 (link)
  • Guest appearance on the Parlatorio-podcast, produced by the Finnish Institute in Rome, discussing Roman insults with vice director Elina Pyy, published 9 December 2021 (link)
  • Talk "Herjauksia Pompejin seinillä" (= Insults on the walls of Pompeii) at the meeting of Paideia Association, Turku, Finland, 3 October 2019
  • Guest lectures on Pompeian graffiti and Roman insults at various schools, 2019–2025
  • Patinaticum-blog
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