As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on September 3, 1997

                                                 REGISTRATION STATEMENT NO. 333-
================================================================================


                      SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                            WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
                           _________________________

                                   FORM S-8
                            REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                     UNDER
                          THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
                           _________________________

                           ASTEA INTERNATIONAL INC.
            (Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)

              Delaware                              23-2119058
     (State of incorporation)        (I.R.S. Employer Identification Number)

                           455 BUSINESS CENTER DRIVE
                              HORSHAM, PA  19044
                                (215) 682-2500

  (Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of
                   Registrant's principal executive offices)

                ASTEA INTERNATIONAL INC. 1997 STOCK OPTION PLAN
        ASTEA INTERNATIONAL INC. NON-QUALIFIED STOCK OPTION AGREEMENTS

                           (Full Title of the Plans)


 
                            ROBERT G. SCHWARTZ, JR.
                           ASTEA INTERNATIONAL INC.
                             55 MIDDLESEX TURNPIKE
                              BEDFORD, MA  10730
                                (617) 275-5440

           (Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number,
                  including area code, of agent for service)
                         ____________________________

                        CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE



====================================================================================================================================

 Title of Securities Being      Amount to be    Proposed Maximum Offering Price       Proposed Maximum Aggregate     Amount of
 Registered                    Registered (1)              Per Share                        Offering Price         Registration Fee
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                                                                                                       
Common Stock...............
  1997 Plan, Issued 4/24/97        175,000                $2.50(2)                              $437,500(2)        
  1997 Plan, Issued 7/21/97         37,163                $2.69(2)                              $ 99,969(2)        
  1997 Plan, Unissued              287,837                $2.91(3)                              $837,606(3)        
  Non-Plan Options, 9/13/96        108,000                $2.52(2)                              $272,160(2)                $751
  Non-Plan Options, 11/27/96        60,000                $2.52(2)                              $151,200(2)        
  Non-Plan Options, 1/10/97         27,500                $2.52(2)                              $ 69,300(2)        
  Non-Plan Options, 2/24/97        150,000                $2.52(2)                              $378,000(2)        
  Non-Plan Options, 7/21/97         85,750                $2.69(2)                              $230,668(2) 
====================================================================================================================================




(1)  Plus such additional number of shares as may be required pursuant to the
     Astea International Inc. 1997 Stock Option Plan or the Non-Qualified Stock
     Option Agreements in the event of a stock dividend, reverse stock split,
     split-up, recapitalization or other similar event.

(2)  This estimate is made pursuant to Rule 457(h) under the Securities Act of
     1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), solely for purposes of determining
     the registration fee and is based upon the price at which outstanding
     options may be exercised.

(3)  This estimate is made pursuant to Rule 457(c) and (h) under the Securities
     Act, solely for purposes of determining the registration fee and is based
     upon the price at which outstanding options may be exercised.  It is based
     on the average bid and ask prices of the Company's common stock on the
     Nasdaq National Market on August  28, 1997.

================================================================================

 
                                    PART II

              INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT


Item 3.  Incorporation of Certain Documents by Reference.
         ----------------------------------------------- 

  Astea International Inc. (the "Company") hereby incorporates by reference the
documents listed in (a) through (c) below, which have previously been filed with
the Securities and Exchange Commission.

         (1)  The Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended
              December 31, 1996.
         (2)  The Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter
              ended March 31, 1997.
         (3)  The Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter
              ended June 30, 1997.
         (4)  The description of the Company's Common Stock, $.01 par value per
              share, contained in the Registration Statement on Form 8-A filed
              under the Exchange Act and declared effective on July 26, 1995,
              including any amendment or report filed for the purpose of
              updating such description.

  In addition, all documents subsequently filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission by the Company pursuant to Sections 13(a) and 13(c), Section 14 and
Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act prior to the filing of a post-effective
amendment hereto that indicates that all securities offered hereunder have been
sold or that deregisters all securities then remaining unsold, shall be deemed
to be incorporated by reference in this registration statement and to be a part
hereof from the date of filing of such documents.


Item 4.  Description of Securities.
         ------------------------- 

  Not Applicable.


Item 5.  Interests of Named Experts and Counsel.
         -------------------------------------- 

  Not Applicable.


Item 6.  Indemnification of Directors and Officers.
         ----------------------------------------- 

  As permitted by the Delaware Law, the Company's Certificate of Incorporation
provides that directors of the Company shall not be personally liable to the
Company or its stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as
a director, except for liability (a) for any breach of the director's duty of
loyalty to the Company or its stockholders, (b) for acts of omissions not in
good faith or which involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of
law, (c) under Section 174 of the Delaware General Corporation Law, relating to
prohibited dividends or distributions or the repurchase or redemption of stock
or (d) for any transaction from which the director derives an improper personal
benefit.  In addition, the Company's By-laws provide for indemnification of the
Company's officers and directors to the fullest extent permitted under Delaware
law.  Section 145 of the Delaware Law provides that a corporation may indemnify
any persons, including officers and directors who were or are, or are threatened
to be made, parties to any threatened, pending or completed legal action, suit
or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (other
than an action by or in the right of such corporation), by reason of the fact
that such person was an officer, director, employee or agent of such corporation
or is or was serving at the request of such corporation as an officer, director,
employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or
other settlement actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection
with such action, suit or proceeding, provided such person acted in good faith
and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the
corporation's best interests and, for criminal proceedings, had no reasonable
cause to believe that his conduct was unlawful.  A Delaware corporation may
indemnify officers and directors in action by or in the right of the corporation
under the same conditions, except that no indemnification is permitted without
judicial approval if the officer or director is adjudged to be liable to the
corporation.  Where an officer or director is successful on the merits or
otherwise in the defense of any action referred to above, the corporation must
indemnify him against the expenses that such officer or director shall actually
and reasonably incurred.  Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising
under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act") may be
permitted to directors, officers or persons controlling the Company pursuant to
the foregoing provisions, the Company has been informed that in the opinion of
the Securities and Exchange

                                       1

 
Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in
Securities Act and is therefore unenforceable.

Item 7.  Exemption from Registration Claimed.
         ----------------------------------- 

  Not applicable.


Item 8.  Exhibits.
         -------- 

  The following is a complete list of exhibits filed or incorporated by
reference as part of this registration statement.

  Exhibit
  -------


      4.1    Astea International Inc. 1997 Stock Option Plan. (Incorporated by
             Reference to Exhibit 10.10 to the Company's Annual Report on Form
             10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 1996.)

      4.2    Form of Non-Qualified Stock Option Agreement under the 1997 Stock
             Option Plan (Incorporated by Reference to Exhibit 10.11 to the
             Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended
             December 31, 1996.)

      4.3    Form of Incentive Stock Option Agreement under the 1997 Stock
             Option Plan (Incorporated by Reference to Exhibit 10.12 to the
             Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended
             December 31, 1996.)

      4.4*   Form of Astea International Inc. Non-Qualified Stock Option
             Agreement (Non-Plan Option).

      5.1*   Opinion of Robert G. Schwartz, Jr., Vice President and General
             Counsel of the Company.

      23.1*  Consent of Arthur Andersen LLP.

      23.2   Consent of Robert G. Schwartz, Jr., Vice President and General
             Counsel of the Company (included in Exhibit 5.1).
 
      24.1   Power of Attorney (included in Signature Page).

______________________
*Filed herewith


Item 9.     Undertakings.
            ------------ 

  (a) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:

          (1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being
made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement:

                  (i) To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of
the Securities Act;

                  (ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising
after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent post-
effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent
a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration statement.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities
offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that
which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high and of the
estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus
filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the

                                       2

 
aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than 20 percent
change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the "Calculation of
Registration Fee" table in the effective registration statement; and

                 (iii) To include any material information with respect to the
plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or
any material change to such information in the registration statement;

       provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii) herein do not
apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment
by those paragraphs is contained in periodic reports filed by the undersigned
registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act that are
incorporated by reference in the registration statement;

          (2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the
Securities Act, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new
registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the
offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona
fide offering thereof; and

          (3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment
any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of
the offering.

  (b) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of
determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the
registrant's annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange
Act (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan's annual
report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act) that is incorporated by
reference in the registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration
statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such
securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering
thereof.

  (c) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities
Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the
registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the registrant
has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission
such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities
Act, and is, therefore, unenforceable.  In the event that a claim for
indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the
registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling
person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or
proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in
connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in
the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent,
submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such
indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities
Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

                                       3

 
                                    SIGNATURES

          Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the
registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all
of the requirements for filing on form S-8 and has duly caused this amendment to
the registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned,
thereunto duly authorized, in Horsham, Pennsylvania, on August 29, 1997.

                                ASTEA INTERNATIONAL INC.


                                By:  /s/ Zack B. Bergreen
                                     Zack B. Bergreen
                                     Chairman of the Board, President and
                                     Chief Executive Officer

                        POWER OF ATTORNEY AND SIGNATURES

  We, the undersigned officers and directors of Astea International Inc., hereby
severally constitute and appoint Zack B. Bergreen, John G. Phillips and Robert
G. Schwartz, Jr., and each of them singly, our true and lawful attorneys, with
full power to them and each of them singly, to sign for us in our names in the
capacities indicated below, all pre-effective and post-effective amendments to
this registration statement, and generally to do all things in our names and on
our behalf in such capacities to enable Astea International Inc. to comply with
the provisions of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and all requirements
of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

  Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this registration
statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the
dates indicated.

       Signature                       Title                        Date
       ---------                       -----                        ----
                                                        
/s/ Zack B. Bergreen            President and Chief              August 29, 1997
- --------------------            Executive Officer                              
   Zack B. Bergreen             and Director (Principal 
                                Executive Officer)       
 
 
/s/ John G. Phillips            Vice President, Chief            August 29, 1997
- --------------------------      Financial Officer 
   John G. Phillips             (Principal Executive Officer)
 
/s/ Henry H. Greer              Director                         August 29, 1997
- --------------------------
   Henry H. Greer 
 
/s/ Joseph J. Kroger            Director                         August 29, 1997
- --------------------------
   Joseph J. Kroger 
 
/s/ Bruce R. Rusch              Director                         August 29, 1997
- --------------------------
   Bruce R. Rusch 
 

                                       4

 
                                     EXHIBIT INDEX


  Exhibit No.    Description
  ----------     -----------


      4.1        Astea International Inc. 1997 Stock Option Plan. (Incorporated
                 by Reference to Exhibit 10.10 to the Company's Annual Report on
                 Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 1996.)

      4.2        Form of Non-Qualified Stock Option Agreement under the 1997
                 Stock Option Plan (Incorporated by Reference to Exhibit 10.11
                 to the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year
                 ended December 31, 1996.)

      4.3        Form of Incentive Stock Option Agreement under the 1997 Stock
                 Option Plan (Incorporated by Reference to Exhibit 10.12 to the
                 Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended
                 December 31, 1996.)

      4.4*       Form of Astea International Inc. Non-Qualified Stock Option
                 Agreement (Non-Plan Option).

      5.1*       Opinion of Robert G. Schwartz, Jr., Vice President and
                 General Counsel of the Company.

      23.1*      Consent of Arthur Andersen LLP.

      23.2       Consent of Robert G. Schwartz, Jr., Vice President and General
                 Counsel of the Company (included in Exhibit 5.1).
 
      24.1       Power of Attorney (included in Signature Page).

_____________
* Filed herewith