The Roman Empire had a middle class. The middle ages had a middle class. In early civilization, during cattle culture, there was a middle class. But historicall

The Roman Empire had a middle class. The middle ages had a middle class. In early civilization, during cattle culture, there was a middle class. But historically middle classes consisted of small landowners in the countryside. What you are probably referring to is a large urban middle class consisting of landless skilled workers, which requires modernity, as all previous middle classes were built around rural land ownership, or going back to pre-agricultural periods, ownership of cattle. The key ingredient of the French revolution is the battle between rural and urban, between the farmer and the craftsmen, with the craftsmen gaining ascendancy over and eventually slaughtering the farmers.