Battering ram

A battering ram is a siege engine that originated in ancient times. It was used to break open the walls or gates of fortifications. In its simplest form, a battering ram is a large, heavy log carried by several people and pushed hard against a wall or gate. If the log is big enough or moved quickly enough, it can damage the target because of its momentum.

Later versions of battering rams had the log inside a special cover that could not be shot by arrows and would not catch fire. This cover was on wheels, and the log inside was swung using chains or ropes.

Battering rams worked well in wars because the wall materials like stone and brick were weak when pulled apart. When hit hard many times, the wall would crack and eventually break, letting attackers enter the fort.

In the later Middle Ages, cannons using gunpowder to shoot heavy balls became common in sieges. This made traditional battering rams less important. Today, smaller versions of battering rams are used by police and soldiers to open locked doors.

A capped ram is a special type of battering ram with a strong metal tip on the front. This tip, sometimes shaped like the head and horns of an ovine ram, helped break buildings more easily than a simple ram, but it was also heavier to carry.

Design

The earliest picture of a battering ram is from an ancient Egyptian tomb. It shows soldiers carrying a long pole to break through walls.

During ancient times, people made battering rams by hanging a heavy log from a wheeled frame. They often put metal tips on the log and protected it with metal bands. Some rams had roofs and side screens made from wet hides to keep them safe from fire and attacks.

Defenders tried to stop battering rams by dropping things like sawdust or using hooks, but attackers found ways to protect their rams. Battering rams were important tools in old battles to break through strong walls and gates.

Notable sieges

Battering rams played a big role in changing how walls were built to protect cities. They were used in many famous battles, like when the Romans destroyed Jerusalem, during the Crusades, and when Rome was attacked in 410. They were also used in the many sieges of Constantinople.

There’s a fun story from Gloucester, England, that the rhyme Humpty Dumpty is about a battering ram from 1643 during the Civil War. But this isn’t true. No battering rams were used in that battle, only cannons. The story started from a playful essay written in 1956.

Modern use

Battering rams are still used today. Police often use small metal tools, sometimes called enforcers, to open locked doors during emergencies. These modern tools may use air power with a pneumatic cylinder and piston to make the impact stronger when hitting a hard object, increasing the momentum of the strike.