Yes, just the people who actually made a difference in our profession, as opposed to producers of slop and corporate shit.

As civilizations declined, pride in one's work, would have been more or less as described in this comment.

However a lot of the modern world is carried by 'pride of workmanship' - and not just by those who 'make'. It's an extension of the 'planting trees' parable, to care about things even though you are not immediately (or ever) rewarded.