Even so, until the 6th century BCE
Oh! Shoot! Typo, dear Zid (peace to you, and thank you for catching that!). I mean to post 5th century BC.
Even so, I would like to share the following from your source:
"According to Roman law women were under the complete control of the pater familias, the male head of the extended family unit. This power extended to life and death. A death penalty could be imposed upon a woman for adultery or drinking alcohol.(63) The pater familias arranged marriages and appointed guardians for the women of his family. A woman could not legally transact business, make a contract or a will, or manumit a slave without the approval of her guardian.(64) However, a woman might request a new guardian or a reversal of a decision by a guardian by submitting her case to a magistrate. By the time of Augustus a free woman was exempt from the control of a guardian after she had borne three children; a freed woman after the birth of four.(65) The law of guardians was not rigidly enforced and women frequently did transact business independently of them."
"In Jewish religion women were also kept subordinate and silent. Women were more restricted in Judaism than they had been in the Old Testament.(101) They could not recite the prayers at meals. They were not obligated as men were to go up to Jerusalem to participate in the major pilgrim festivals. Women were barred from studying the Torah.(102) They could not be counted among the minyan, the quorum of men who had to be present for worship to take place. Theoretically any adult person had the right to read and to preach in the synagogue.(103) But in practice women were kept physically separate from men in the synagogue and were not allowed to read at all. Furthermore, women were denied the education which would have enabled them to preach."
"In the diaspora, on the other hand, Jewish sects were more greatly affected by the experience of hellenism and foreign cultures. In the Jewish colony at Elephantine in Upper Egypt women could own property and transact business, take oaths and initiate divorce. They were also taxed and called up for military service.(104) The Therapeutae, an Essene-like sect living in Egypt, were also much more positive in their attitude toward women than the Essenes of Palestine. The Therapeutae admitted women to full membership in the community. Women were, however, still segregated and silent during worship. Both the Elephantine colony and the Therapeutae may have been influenced by the freedom and high position of women in Egyptian society."
"First century Judaism lived in the Roman empire and in the cultural milieu of Hellenism. It was unable to ignore secular culture, but had to react to it positively or negatively."
Now, this is just one source. There are others, of course. But, again, no one has to take my word for what Paul meant... and why. Truly.
Again, peace to you, all!
A slave of Christ,
SA
