battering ram
Sign in to savesiege engine originating in ancient times
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Medieval battering ram in Italy Replica battering ram at Baba Vida, Vidin, Bulgaria An Assyrian battering ram attacking an enemy city, c. 865–860 BC Replica battering ram at Château des Baux, France
A battering ram is a siege engine that originated in ancient times and was designed to break open the masonry walls of fortifications or splinter their wooden gates. In its simplest form, a battering ram is just a large, heavy log carried by several people and propelled with force against an obstacle; the ram would be sufficient to damage the target if the log were massive enough and/or it were moved quickly enough (that is, if it had enough momentum). Later rams encased the log in an arrow-proof, fire-resistant canopy mounted on wheels. Inside the canopy, the log was swung from suspensory chains or ropes.