Harry, here's something interesting. I hope you find it interesting too.
In ancient Greece, the ascendant was called the hour marker, horoskopos, or also the helm. The part of the ship that is steered. The planet ruling the ASC is the steersman, where it will guide you through your life (to a specific purpose). The location of the ruler of the ascendant will show the focus of the persons life.
They believed that the person's soul entered the body at the ASC. Other names for the ASC was house of breath, spirit, or life.
They used the classical planets and rulerships (Sun, Moon, Mercury to Saturn).