[6][better source needed] The books of First and Second Maccabees are written in noticeably different literary styles, but contain similar narratives.
In First Maccabees, the author presents an objective historical account of the persecution of the Jews by Antiochus IV.
It deals with the rise and legitimacy of the Hasmonean dynasty, beginning with an account of the life of the Jewish priest Mattathias, a forefather of the Maccabean revolt.
In contrast, the author of Second Maccabees presents a heavily dramatic, emotional and theologically dense account of a period of time which is shorter but overlapping (180–161 BC).
In Second Maccabees, the author portrays Judas Maccabaeus and the martyrs who fight alongside him as champions; they earn divine favor as a result.