Battering Ram
an ancient military contrivance used for battering down walls. It existed among the Assyrians.
In its most perfect form among the BATTERING RAM Romans it consisted of a pole or beam of wood, sometimes as much as 80, 100, or even 120 feet in length. It was suspended by its extremities from a single point, or from two points in another beam above, which lay horizontally across two posts. When at rest it was level, like the beam above it. When put in action against a wall, it was swung horizontally by men who succeeded each other BATTLE in constant relays, the blow which it gave to the masonry at each vibration being rendered all the more effective that one end of it was armed with iron. This, being generally formed like a ram's head, originated the name aries (ram), by which it was known among the Romans, and battering-ram, by which it was afterward known. A roof or shed covered it to protect the soldiers who worked it, from hostile missiles, and to facilitate locomotion it was often placed on wheels.