A siege engine, also known as a siege weapon or a battering ram, refers to a device or structure designed to attack or breach fortifications such as walls, gates, and castles during warfare. Synonyms for siege engine include, but are not limited to trebuchet, catapult, ballista, mangonel, and siege tower. Trebuchets were commonly used by medieval armies to hurl huge rocks or other projectiles at fortified towns and castles. Catapults are often used to throw large stones, while ballistas were used for shooting arrows. Mangonels were employed to launch stones or fireballs, and siege towers were structures used to climb over walls. Overall, siege engines were important weapons of war that helped to overcome enemy fortifications.