Classical Influences on Frank Herbert's Dune Series

How histories of Ancient Greece, Rome, and the Near East have left their mark on the dunes of Arrakis.

On the recommendation of a highly respected paid subscriber, I began reading the Dune series this month. This isn’t my first time engaging with Frank Herbert’s masterwork of science fiction; my dad was a huge fan and he tried to get me into it years ago, but it didn’t stick for a number of reasons. Frankly, I feel as though the reason it has had such a …