Recent images of President Donald Trump in the Middle East have already been etched into history books. Trump flew first to Israel, where he addressed the Knesset in an emotional speech, and then to Egypt, where, amidst handshakes and smiles, he met with the leaders of the Arab and Muslim world. In both places, his interlocutors signed on to the peace plan, put forward by the American president, that ended, at least for now, a two-year long war and returned the living hostages to Israel.

The scenes in both countries testify both to the projection of American power and to the unconventional style of Trump’s diplomacy: personal, pragmatic, if hyperbolic. His leadership approach is very American. But it is also very Roman, and that is of more than antiquarian interest.

The Romans prized personal relationships both at home and abroad. “Friendships,” as the Romans called their ties with foreign leaders who acknowledged Rome’s power, were, like the legions, a tool for building an empire. What made the friendships work was trust. Rome’s friends believed that Rome had their back and that Rome would punish bad faith on their part. That confidence required constant personal attention.

Trump has devoted that attention to ending the war between Israel and Hamas. In addition to his own meetings with key Middle Eastern leaders, he has........

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