A. G. Drachmann

Drachmann was born in Copenhagen in 1891, the son of classicist {{ill|Anders Bjørn Drachmann|da||de}} (1860–1935) and teacher Ellen Sophie Drachmann (née Bentzon, 1866–1948). He studied classical philology and English language and literature at the University of Copenhagen from 1909 to 1915.

Afterward, he took a job as a librarian at the Copenhagen University Library (one of the two most important libraries in Denmark), for which he worked from 1917 until 1956. He spent nine months in 1926–1927 in the United States as a fellow of the American-Scandinavian Foundation, working in the John Crerar Library and the Library of Congress, and subsequently introduced some American library processes to Denmark, including photocopying. In 1943, he became chief librarian at the University Library. In 1948, he received a PhD studying ancient pneumatics. In 1956 he retired to focus full-time on research.{{cite journal |last1=Huldén |first1=Bjarne |last2=Larsen |first2=Kate |last3=Pedersen |first3=Olaf |year=1985 |title=Aage Gerhard Drachmann (1891–1980): A Bibliography |journal=Centaurus |volume=28 |number=2 |pages=102–107 |doi=10.1111/j.1600-0498.1985.tb00830.x }}{{cite encyclopedia |last=Birkelund |first=Palle |title=A.G. Drachmann (bibliotekar) |encyclopedia=Dansk biografisk leksikon |volume=4 |year=1980 |page=31 |url=https://biografiskleksikon.lex.dk/A.G._Drachmann_-_bibliotekar |lang=da }}

Drachmann was a lifelong bachelor.{{r|biblio}}

Starting in the 1930s, Drachmann wrote scholarly papers, primarily on ancient technology, and papers on library science. From 1928–1949 he edited the Index Medicus Danicus, a card-index bibliography of Danish medical literature. In the 1950s he was an editor of Centaurus, in which many of his papers were also published.{{r|davinci}} He was a member of several learned societies.

Drachmann's research focused on medicine, natural sciences and technology in antiquity. He wrote books on "pneumatic medicine", oil mills, ancient mechanics and Caesar's Rhine bridges, as well as several articles for the Realencyclopädie der classischen Altertumswissenschaft and the Dictionary of Scientific Biography.{{r|biblio}}{{r|dbl}}

Drachmann's 1963 book Mechanical Technology of Greek and Roman Antiquity consisted of a critical translation and commentary on Hero of Alexandria's Mechanics (from Qusṭā ibn Lūqā's Arabic translation), alongside study of other works by Hero, pseudo-Aristotle, Vitruvius, and Oribasius.Reviews: {{pb}} {{cite journal|last=Anthony |first=H. D. |year=1963 |title=The Mechanical Technology of Greek and Roman Antiquity. By A. G. Drachmann |type=Book review |journal=The British Journal for the History of Science |volume=1 |number=3 |pages=285–286 |doi=10.1017/s0007087400001540 }} {{pb}} {{cite journal |title=The Mechanical Terminology of Greek and Roman Antiquity by A. G. Drachmann |type=Book review |last=Moritz |first=L. A. |journal=Classical Philology |volume=59 |number=4 |year=1964 |pages=293–294 |jstor=269301 }} {{pb}} {{cite journal |title=A. G. Drachmann, The mechanical technology of Greek and Roman Antiquity, 1963 |last=Mugler |first=Charles |journal=Revue des Études Anciennes |year=1964 |volume=66 |number=3–4 |pages=451-452 |url=https://www.persee.fr/doc/rea_0035-2004_1964_num_66_3_3730_t1_0451_0000_2 |language=fr |type=Book Review }} {{pb}}

{{cite journal |title=A. G. Drachmann The Mechanical Technology of Greek and Roman Antiquity |last=Stahl |first=William H. |journal=Isis |volume=55 |number=2 |year=1964 |type=Book review |pages=236–237 |doi=10.1086/349848}}

In mechanics, Drachmann's method combined careful textual analysis with practical mechanical experiments and constructions.{{r|biblio}} His writing was characterized by an insightful but unpretentious and commonsense style.{{cite journal |last=Hall |first=Bert S. |title=Heron of Alexandria. Les mécaniques [...] Commentary by A. G. Drachmann |type=Book review |journal=Isis |year=1990 |volume=81 |number=4 |pages=756–757 |jstor=233840 }}

In 1971 he received the Leonardo da Vinci Medal for his scholarship in the history of technology.{{cite journal |title=The Leonardo da Vinci Medal |journal=Technology and Culture |volume=13 |number=3 |year=1972 |pages=434–439 |jstor=3102496 }}

Drachmann also studied English literature, Danish folk tales and ornithology.

• Ledetraad i Biblioteksarbejde for Ikke-Fagmænd. Copenhagen, 1931
• Ancient Oil Mills and Presses. Copenhagen, 1932
• Hvad var det for en Fugl? Copenhagen, 1938. (2nd ed. 1948)
• Ktesibios, Philon and Heron: A Study in Ancient Pneumatics. Copenhagen, 1948 (PhD thesis)
• Dorothy L. Sayers som Dramatiker: Essayist og Æstetiker. Copenhagen, 1959
• Antikkens Teknik: Redskaber og Opfindelser i den græske og romerske Oldtid. Copenhagen, 1963
• [https://archive.org/details/mechanicaltechno0000agdr_n2n6/ Mechanical Technology of Greek and Roman Antiquity: A Study of the Literary Sources]. Copenhagen/Madison, 1963
• Cæsars Bro over Rhinen. Copenhagen, 1965
• Grosse griechische Erfinder. Düsseldorf, 1967
• De Navngivne Sværd i Saga: Sagn og Folkevise. Copenhagen, 1967
• Hævnmotivet i Kiplings Fortællinger. 1969
• Lægæst og hans Guldhorn. 1972

{{reflist |30em}}

• {{DNB-Portal|133897281|TYP=Literature by}}

{{Leonardo da Vinci Medal|state=collapsed}}

{{Authority control|state=collapsed}}

Category:1891 births

Category:1980 deaths

Category:Historians of science

Category:Historians of technology

Category:Danish librarians

Category:20th-century Danish historians

Category:People from Copenhagen

Category:University of Copenhagen alumni

Category:Leonardo da Vinci Medal recipients