The third decan of Leo is 20° to 30° of the sign, the sign at its most seasoned, already shading toward what comes after it. In the classical face system this stretch is sub-ruled by Mars, a second planet laid over Leo's own ruler, Sun. A decan never changes the sign, it tones it: here the Leo nature carries a Mars accent, sharpening it toward appetite, courage, and the drive to begin and to defend.
- Sign
- Leo, the sovereign
- Decan
- Third face (20° to 30°)
- Face ruler
- Mars, drive
- Element
- Fire
- Modality
- Fixed
The Mars face of Leo
Leo is the sovereign, fire by element and fixed by mode. Its Mars face adds drive and the nerve to begin, so a Leo of the third decan tends to keep the Leo temperament while leaning, more than the sign's other two faces do, toward drive: desire and assertion. Think of it as Leo read in a Mars key.
If this decan is yours, where do you recognise the Leo in you carried with a Mars accent, and where the drive to begin runs ahead of the aim?
The other decans of Leo
Leo also holds the first decan, the Saturn face and the second decan, the Jupiter face. See the Leo zodiac sign in full, read today's Leo horoscope, or explore all thirty-six decans.
Frequently asked
What is the third decan of Leo?
The third decan of Leo is 20° to 30° of the sign, the sign at its most seasoned, already shading toward what comes after it. In the classical face system this stretch is sub-ruled by Mars, a second planet laid over Leo's own ruler, Sun. A decan never changes the sign, it tones it: here the Leo nature carries a Mars accent, sharpening it toward appetite, courage, and the drive to begin and to defend.
Who rules the third decan of Leo?
The third decan of Leo (20° to 30°) is classically sub-ruled by Mars, laid over Leo's own ruler, Sun.
What are decans in astrology?
Each zodiac sign spans thirty degrees, divided into three decans of ten degrees. Each decan is sub-ruled by a classical planet in the Chaldean order, giving that stretch of the sign a second tone. They are read as a lens for reflection, never a prediction.