Battering rams were used in sieges and attempts at conquest.
Ariete is a term with several uses. Its etymology takes us to the Latin word aries , which can be translated as “ram.”
A battering ram is a machine for military use that, in ancient times, was used to knock down walls and doors. The ram had an extensive and heavy beam that, at one end, was reinforced with a metal piece that was usually designed in the shape of a ram 's head (the male of the sheep).
Ram Features
The battering ram was part of the group of so-called siege weapons . These equipment were used to destroy walls and fortresses when attempting to conquer a city.
Its basic version consisted of a log carried by several soldiers and propelled so that it violently impacts a target. Originally a ram's head was attached to increase the damage with the animal 's antlers.
Over time, the ram evolved. The tip was reinforced with bronze or iron and its sides were reinforced with leather to prevent damage from fire attacks. The ram, on the other hand, could be located on a rolling frame or driven by a sling.
Historical tour of the weapon
The first battering rams would have been used in the second Assyrian Empire and in Ancient Greece , with their origins dating back centuries before Christ. These were rocker arms that could have wheels or lack them.
These machines were key in many sieges and sieges. Currently, the logic of its operation continues to be used in different actions , being installed on vehicles on some occasions.
It is interesting to note that, over time , different defense mechanisms against battering rams were devised. Throwing obstacles before hitting the door or wall was the most common, although attempts were also made to set them on fire and ropes were used to immobilize the beam.
Rams usually had a reinforced end.
The ram as a vessel
The term battering ram also refers to a warship whose distinctive characteristic was the ram that was used to ram enemy ships, trying to sink them. These rams were steamships that were armored.
Ariete , on the other hand, was a torpedo ship of the Spanish navy. It began service in 1887 and remained active until 1905 , when a fire destroyed it while it remained at the Carraca Arsenal .
a hydraulic pump
A type of water pump is known as a hydraulic ram or ram pump that, to lift the liquid, uses the impulse generated by the movement of a column of fluid. What it does is take advantage of the kinetic energy generated by a water hammer (that is, by the sudden increase in pressure that occurs when a valve is suddenly closed).
The water hammer makes it possible for part of the water to reach a higher level. In this way, the hydraulic ram can be used for sprinkler irrigation or to raise part of the contents of a stream to another height.