Editing Women's rights (section)

==== Byzantine Empire ====
{{Further|Women in the Byzantine Empire}}
Since Byzantine law was essentially based on Roman law, the legal status of women did not change significantly from the practices of the 6th century. But the traditional restriction of women in public life as well as the hostility against independent women still continued.<ref name=":2">{{Cite book|title = The Oxford Encyclopedia of Women in World History: 4 Volume Set|last = Smith|first = Bonnie G|publisher = Oxford University Press|year = 2008|isbn = 978-0-19-514890-9|location = London, UK|pages = [https://archive.org/details/oxfordencycloped0000unse_k2h2/page/440 440–42]|url = https://archive.org/details/oxfordencycloped0000unse_k2h2/page/440}}</ref> Greater influence of Greek culture contributed to strict attitudes about women's roles being domestic instead of being public.<ref name=":2" /> There was also a growing trend of women who were not prostitutes, slaves or entertainers to be entirely veiled.<ref name=":2" /> Like previous Roman law, women could not be legal witnesses, hold administrations or run banking but they could still inherit properties and own land.<ref name=":2" />

As a rule, the influence of the church was exercised in favor of the abolition of the disabilities imposed by the older law upon celibacy and childlessness, of increased facilities for entering a professed religious life, and of due provision for the wife. The church also supported the political power of those who were friendly toward the clergy. The appointment of mothers and grandmothers as tutors was sanctioned by Justinian.{{Cn|date=October 2024}}

The restrictions on the marriage of senators and other men of high rank with women of low rank were extended by [[Constantine I (emperor)|Constantine]], but it was almost entirely removed by [[Justinian I|Justinian]]. Second marriages were discouraged, especially by making it legal to impose a condition that a widow's right to property should cease on remarriage, and the Leonine Constitutions at the end of the 9th century made third marriages punishable.{{Cn|date=October 2024}} The same constitutions made the benediction of a priest a necessary part of the ceremony of marriage.<ref>{{cite EB1911|wstitle= Women |volume= 23 | pages = 782–788; see page 783 |quote= The chief differences between canon and Roman law were in the law of marriage... The benediction of a priest was made a necessary part of the ceremony}}</ref>