Received high esteem

Does the bold sentence mean "although the rule of kings gradually gave way to democracy, statesmanship and military valour still received high esteem"?

Context:

Greek achievements in science and the arts went hand in hand with chronic war between the many city-states. As a result, while the rule of kings gradually gave way to democracy, statesmanship and military valour received high esteem. Human activity became the measure of all things – gods differed from people only in being immortal. If humankind warred, so did the gods (Art and War by Laura Brandon).