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Michael Gottlieb Agnethler (10 June 1719 – 15 June 1752) was a German botanist and numismatist.

Michael Agnethler was born to an aristocratic Transylvanian Saxon family of Hermannstadt (now Sibiu, Romania).^[1] The Agnethlers had been of a long, prestigious history, with many local socialites in the region. The name of the family originated from the Saxon town of Agnetheln.^[2]

Michael Agnethler was the only son of his family. The father was the principal of a gymnasium.^[2] Just after Michael's birth, his father was appointed pastor of Gierelsau (Bradu), so the family moved there, where Michael spent his childhood, then returning to Sibiu to attend school.^[2]

Michael Agnethler had been of a weak physical constitution, with difficulty sleeping.^[2] An anecdote is known, where Agnethler was frightened in his sleep by a fellow student—who jokingly mumbled "swim, you're drowning" into his ears—with Agnethler amidst a nightmare, moving his arms frantically like swimming.^[2]

Agnethler started his studies of theology^[2] at the University of Halle in 1742; other interests included Ancient Rome antiquities and numismatics.^[2] Additionally, his physical frailness led him to start studying Medicine.^[2]

Agnethler eventually earned a Doctorate of Philosophy in 1750, and of Medicine in 1751. Also in that year, he was given a position at the Akademie der Naturforscher, and soon afterwards became lecturer in Rhetoric, Antiquities, and Poetry at the University of Helmstedt.^[1] However, he suffered a severe tuberculosis infection,^[2] and died soon thereafter, in 1752.

Michael Gottlieb Agnethler is also known as an entomologist.

He published a number of works on botany (mostly commentaries on Linnaeus) and on numismatics, the latter including descriptions of the coin collections of Johann Heinrich Schulze and Martin Schmeizel.^[1]

• Nvmophylacivm Schvlzianvm Digessit, Descripsit Et Perpetvis Insigniorvm Rei Nvmariae Scriptorvm Commentariis Illvstratvm Edidit Michael Gottlieb Agnethler ; Pars Prior. Lipsiae Halae Leipzig Halle, Saale 1746
• Laurent. Joann. Nepomucenus Reen ... plagii litterarii in regiae Fridericianae Parnasso graviter accusatus, convictus atque Halensium musarum decreto condemnatus. Hala, 1750
• Beschreibung des Schulzischen Münzkabinet. Halle Gebauer 1750
• Dissertationem solemnem de lauro. Halle 1751

• Wolfram Kaiser (1977). "Das wissenschaftliche Werk des transsylvanischen Arztes und Altertumsforschers Michael Gottlieb Agnethler (1719-1752)". Orvostörténeti közlemények (= Communicationes de historia artis medicinae). 81: 73–87. ISSN 0010-3551.

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