History Main / BatteringRam

* ''Literature/TheHunchbackOfNotreDame'': In the [[Film/TheHunchbackOfNotreDame1923 1923]], [[Film/TheHunchbackOfNotreDame1939 1939]], and [[Film/TheHunchbackOfNotreDame1956 1956]] adaptations, Quasimodo drops a long piece of wood onto the rabble attacking Notre Dame, and the rabble use it as an improvised battering ram.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheMansionsOfTheGods'': As Astérix and Petiminus are trying to break into the building where Obélix is held, a dimwitted Roman soldier arrives... and joins them in trying to open the door, then is promoted to living battering ram. When that still fails, Dulcina steps in to pick the lock.

* ''Series/TheTwilightZone1959'': In "[[Recap/TheTwilightZoneS3E68TheShelter The Shelter]]", Dr. Bill Stockton's neighbors fashion one together to break into his bomb shelter. Immediately after they break the shelter's door down, they learn from a CONELRAD broadcast that the unidentified objects were satellites as opposed to missiles.

** ''WesternAnimation/BeautyAndTheBeast'': The villagers use a log to force open the Beast's castle door.

* ''WesternAnimation/ToyStory2'': "But I don't wanna use my head!"

* ''Film/{{The War Lord|1965}}'': The story is set in the 11th century. For their second attempt to storm the Normans' tower, the Frisians build a battering ram with trees, and cow skin for protection. They damage the tower's door but the Normans manage to topple the ram into the moat. When the night comes, the Frisians come back with torches and fire wood to [[IncendiaryExponent burn down]] the damaged door.

* ''Series/{{Masada}}'': In 73 AD, the Romans build and use a battering ram with a massive ram-shaped metal head mounted on a siege tower to bring down the walls of the eponymous fortress of Masada, the LastBastion of the [[UsefulNotes/JewishRevolts Jewish Zealots]] in Judea.

* ''[[Film/BenHur2016 Ben-Hur]]'' (2016): There's a HopeSpot when the Roman galley appears to have escaped danger, only for a Greek warship to come baring down on them and ram straight through their hull, causing their own galley to break up and sink. In a further horror, there's a [[CruelAndUnusualDeath Roman prisoner strapped to the front of the ram]].

* In ''Film/TheVikings'', the eponymous Vikings bring big wheels with them on their longships, and upon landing in Northumbria, they turn the biggest tree they can find into a battering ram with the aforementioned wheels. They use it to destroy the door of the first line of defense of Aella's castle, and simply throw it at a high speed against said door. It also serves as a makeshift bridge since said door is a closed drawbridge.

* ''Series/{{Masada}}'': In 73 AD, the Romans build and use a battering ram with a massive ram-shaped metal head mounted on a siege tower to bring down the walls of the LastBastion of the Jewish Zealots in Judea.

* In ''Film/{{Hairspray}}'', at one point they use a hairspray battering ram.

* ''Series/ThroughTheDragonsEye: Scott and Boris attempt to use Boris's cricket bat (which can grow when Boris commands it) as one in an attempt to break down a locked door in a tree. Gorwen quickly puts a stop to it because Boris cannot fly without his bat, so if it is in splinters, he won't be able to return to Pelemar.

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Madagascar}}'': After Melman washes up in the island and Alex can't pull him out of his crate, he tries to use a log to force him out. Melman panics as he runs toward him, but Alex stops by mere inches when he yells that Gloria has also just washed up.

Even in modern times this trope and breaching tool is still rather prevalent, especially if it involves SWAT teams and other law-enforcement. Although it can also be seen in the hands of military and the like. Usually just to breach doors although rarely there are times when they are used as weapons in of themselves.

* ''Literature/TheLordOfTheRings'': The army attacking Minas Tirith uses a battering ram called Grond against its gates.