The difference is that in Roman times, with few exceptions, women were fully and brazenly commodified. Women were the property of their families or husbands, and could be not only bought and sold but looted and stolen.

Christianity and feudal society was still oppressive towards women, of course, but codified a sort of patronizing chauvinism that did make life somewhat more bearable for women.

It's wrong to characterize the shift as one from gender egalitarianism to theocratic oppression. The shift was from complete objectification and subjugation towards a more codified, patronizing oppression