Back in the days of freewheel gears, the smallest rear cog was often 14t, sometimes 13t. I think I heard rumors of 12t, but for sure never encountered them. Anyway, 14-52 was commonly the highest gear. As cassettes with smaller cogs became available, the need for large chain rings disappeared. It took people a few years to realize they didn't need such big chain rings any more; and then the compact crank was invented. This had the advantage of making old cranks obsolete, not to mention that smaller chain rings and smaller cogs wear out faster. All in all, it's a win for the industry. Advantages for the rider, not so much.