Abstract
In this study, I focus on this meaning-making activity in relation to 2 Maccabees and 4 Maccabees. Both accounts reframe the story of the Maccabean martyrs (i.e., Eleazar, the seven sons, and their mother) in their own cultural contexts, resulting in different collective memories that reflect and affect the respective identities of two audiences.
Since most martyrs are believed to receive a blessed reward for their bravery, stories about them also offer insights into afterlife conceptions.