BATTERING-Ram, in antiquity, a military engine used to batter and beat down the walls of places besieged. It is said to have been invented by Artamanes of Clazomene, a Greek architect who flourished 441 B.C.—The machine is thus described by Josephus: It is a vast beam, like the mast of a ship, strengthened at the one end with a head of iron, something resembling that of a ram, whence it took its name. This was hung by the middle with ropes to another beam, which lay across two posts; and hanging thus equally balanced, it was by a great number of men drawn backwards and pushed forwards, striking the wall with its iron head. But this engine did most execution when it was mounted on wheels, which is said to have been first done at the siege of Byzantium under Philip of Macedon.

Plutarch informs us, that Mark Antony, in the Parthian war, made use of a ram fourscore feet long: and Vitruvius tells us, that they were sometimes 106, and sometimes 120, feet in length; and to this perhaps the force and strength of the engine was in a great measure owing. The ram was managed at one time by a whole century of soldiers; and they being spent, were seconded by another century, so that it played continually without any intermission.

Plate LXXXVIII. fig. 1. represents the battering-ram suspended. 2. The ram. 3. The form of its head, fastened to the enormous beam by three or four bands of iron, four feet in breadth. At the extremity of each of these bands (4) was a chain (5) of the same metal, one end of which was fastened to a hook (6), and at the other extremity of each of these chains was a cable firmly bound to the last link. These cables ran the whole length of the beam to the end of the ram (7), where they were all bound together as fast as possible with small ropes. To the end of these cables another was fixed, composed of several strong cords plaited together to a certain length, and then running single (8). At each of these several men were placed, to balance and work the machine. 10. The chain or cable by which it hung to the cross beam (11), fixed on the top of the frame. 12. The base of the machine.—The unsuspended ram differed from this only in the manner of working it: for instead of being slung by a chain or cable, it moved on small wheels on another large beam.

BATTERING-Rams, in Heraldry, a bearing or coat of arms resembling the military engine of the same name.