Expanded Perspectives
Expanded Perspectives

From the Archives with Rick Osmon

July 19, 2026

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5 min read

Romans in the Ohio Valley: Rick Osmon on the Evidence Buried in Plain Sight

In 2011, when Rick Osmon published Graves of the Golden Bear: Ancient Monuments and Fortresses of the Ohio Valley, he was building on decades of scattered finds that mainstream archaeology had largely ignored or explained away. On this episode of Expanded Perspectives from the Archives, Osmon lays out the case that Romans—specifically the vanished Ninth Legion—reached North America sometime between 117 and 142 AD, and that their presence left traces in the form of coins, construction techniques, and a network of stone towers across the Ohio Valley.

The Case for a Roman Presence

Osmon begins with the coins. Before writing his book, he knew of a couple hundred Roman coin finds scattered across the eastern United States, mostly near waterways—the highways of the ancient world. The largest cache he knew of at the time contained 52 coins. More recently, a cache of 386 Roman coins was discovered west of the Rockies, the first such find on that side of the continent. These are not collector's items accidentally dropped by modern tourists. The coins are datable by where and when they were struck, and they appear in contexts that make deliberate burial or loss the most plausible explanation.

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What you'll learn

  • 1 (03:41) **Introducing Rick Osmon and the Roman Presence in North America** - Osmon joins the hosts to discuss his book "Graves of the Golden Bear" and the evidence that Romans visited North America long before Columbus.
  • 2 (11:53) **The Disappearance of the Ninth Roman Legion** - Osmon connects the legion's vanishing act in 117 AD to a possible deployment to North America for mining or trade.
  • 3 (16:36) **Roman Communication Networks in the Ohio Valley** - The conversation shifts to physical evidence of Roman technology, specifically stone towers used for line-of-sight communication.
  • 4 (20:22) **The Grave Creek Mound and Elite Burials** - Osmon details the burial of a "hyper elite" individual at Grave Creek Mound, suggesting a non-Native origin.
  • 5 (33:58) **The Evidence of Giants and Pygmies in North America** - Osmon discusses the widespread discovery of both giant and pygmy skeletons, challenging the conventional narrative of pre-Columbian populations.
  • 6 (38:44) **The Smithsonian Cover-Up and the Failure of Science** - Osmon argues that the Smithsonian actively suppressed evidence of these remains, warning researchers not to publish findings.
  • 7 (46:58) **The Kennewick Man Case** - Osmon recounts the discovery of a 9,400-year-old skeleton in Washington State, which appeared Caucasian, and the legal battle over its study.

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Show Notes

On this episode of Expanded Perspectives: From the Archives, we revisit our conversation with author, researcher, and hidden history investigator Rick Osmon.

Could Roman explorers have reached North America centuries before Christopher Columbus? Rick joins us to examine the evidence, challenge conventional history, and share the research that has led him to believe there may be far more to America's ancient past than most people realize.

Before becoming a full-time researcher and author, Rick built an impressive career in engineering, working with defense contractors and later as a civilian engineering specialist for the U.S. Navy. His work focused on advanced radar, night vision, laser systems, and surveillance technologies supporting Special Operations equipment acquisitions.

Driven by a lifelong fascination with archaeology, ancient history, geography, cartography, and the unexplained, Rick left government service in 2005 to dedicate himself to researching hidden history. He went on to host popular internet radio shows, including The Oopa Loopa Cafe and Unraveling the Secrets, which became part of the Paranormal Soup Network before evolving into the Soup Media Network.

Rick is also the author of several books exploring ancient mysteries, beginning with The Graves of the Golden Bear: Ancient Monuments and Fortresses of the Ohio Valley, published in 2011.

Join us as we explore the possibility of Roman voyages to the Americas, the artifacts and historical clues Rick believes point to a forgotten chapter of history, and what it all could mean if the accepted timeline is incomplete.

Show Notes:

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