Originally women were always under guardianship--But
under the Empire
the entire equality of the sexes was recognised--Women
in
marriage--Their power over their property--Divorce--
Women engaged in all
business pursuits--Instances of women suing and pleading
in
law--Partiality of the law towards women--Rights of
inheritance--Rights
to higher education fully allowed--Provision made for
poor children to
be educated--The Vestals--Female slaves--Remarkable
growth of
humanitarianism towards slaves under the Empire--Sources
WOMEN AND THE EARLY CHRISTIAN CHURCH
Christ laid down ethical principles but not minute
regulations--The
Apostles affected by Jewish and Oriental or Greek
conceptions of
women--Examples of these--St. Paul and St. Peter on the
position of
women--The Church Fathers elaborated these teachings--
Examples of their
contempt for women--Mingled with admiration for
particular types of
women--Their views of marriage--Their strictures on
unbecoming
dress--Summary of their views and how the status of
women was affected
by them--Sources
RIGHTS OF WOMEN AS MODIFIED BY THE CHRISTIAN EMPERORS
Old Roman Law not abrogated suddenly--Divorce--Adultery-
-Second
