Battering-ram

The battering-ram was the principal siege weapon of the ancient Near East, used to break through city gates and walls. Ezekiel 4:2 and 21:22 describe its use in the context of the Babylonian siege of Jerusalem—Nebuchadnezzar is depicted consulting omens at the crossroads to decide whether to attack Jerusalem or Rabbath-ammon, ultimately directing his battering-rams against Jerusalem's gates. The ram typically consisted of a heavy beam of wood with a metal head, suspended in a wheeled frame and swung by ropes against the fortification. Reliefs from Assyrian palaces depict their use in detail.