Author

Joonas Vanhala Roomassa Pietarinkirkon aukiolla keväällä 2020
Rome in Spring 2020
My name is Joonas Vanhala. I'm a doctoral researcher at University of Turku and a Latin teacher. The name of this blog patinaticum means ice skating and reflects two of my long time passions, Latin 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 in 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, classical Greek and education at University of Turku and got a bachelor of arts degree in 2015 and a master of arts in 2019. I've taught Latin in various schools in Turku since 2007.

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 1 December 2023)

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–
    • Salaried doctoral researcher, University of Turku, 1.9.2022–
    • Wihuri Fellow, Finnish Institute in Rome, 1.9.2021–31.8.2022
  • Project researcher at the Finnish Institute in Rome, 2020–
  • Latin teacher, part-time, Åbo Akademi University, 2016–2022
  • Latin teacher, part-time, Åbo svenska arbetarinstitut (Swedish Adult Education Center of Turku), 2008–2011 and 2014–2021
  • Latin teacher, part-time, Katedralskolan i Åbo (high school), 2007–2011 and 2014–2016
  • Professional ice skater, Disney On Ice, 2011–2014
Publications
  • Book review: "Viestejä antiikin Pompejista – Ari Saastamoinen: Räävitöntä! Pompejilaisia graffiteja. Gaudeamus 2020. 286 s. ISBN 978-952-345-068-4", Historiallinen aikakauskirja 121,4, 2023, 422–423.
  • Peer-reviewed article: Meyer, A., Mullen, A. & Vanhala, J., "A Scato-sexual Message: The Secundinus Stone with Phallus from Vindolanda", Britannia 2023 (Open Access)
  • Book review: "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, 2022 (Open Access)
  • Article in a trade journal: "Roomalaisia herjauksia ja stereotypioita", in Hiiskuttua: Turun yliopiston humanistisen tiedekunnan verkkolehti, 7.12.2020
Academic presentations
  • 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 (academia.edu)
  • Conference paper "The Greek "other" in the satirical poems of Martial" at Classical Association Conference, Cambridge UK, 21–23 April 2023 (academia.edu)
  • Conference paper "Roomalaisia herjauksia ja stereotypioita" at Finnish Conference on Ancient Studies, 26–27 January 2023, 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 (academia.edu)
  • 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 (academia.edu)
  • 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