Final answer:
Astrology began in Babylonia over two thousand years ago and predates astronomy. It influenced Western civilization as it spread from Babylonia to Greece and beyond. Astronomy is a natural science that later developed more empirically-based methods compared to astrology's ancient religious underpinnings.
Step-by-step explanation:
Astrology came before astronomy in the historical timeline. Astrology began in Babylonia about two and a half millennia ago, with the belief that the motions of the planets influenced the fortunes of kings and nations. As Babylonian culture was absorbed by the Greeks, astrology influenced the Western world and spread to Asia. The ancient Greeks advanced both subjects, with figures like Ptolemy contributing to their development. While astrology is considered a type of ancient religion, astronomy is acknowledged as a natural science due to its empirical methods and use of observations to build a factual understanding of the celestial phenomena.